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Momentum Builds for Historic Grassroots Sports Summit as SSA Adeboye Hosts Successful Abuja Press Conference
The countdown to the National Grassroots Sports Development Summit 2026 gathered fresh momentum on Thursday as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Hon. Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye, hosted a well-attended and successful press conference at the VIP Lounge, National Stadium, Abuja.
The event attracted sports administrators, government officials, representatives of key institutions, journalists and other stakeholders, demonstrating growing interest in the forthcoming national summit.
Among the distinguished personalities present were Comrade Philip Shaibu, Director-General, National Institute for Sports (NIS); Mr. Kumbi Titiloye, Chairman, Kwara United Football Club; and Ms. Seun Ojo, Head, Public Affairs & Public Policy, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).
Also in attendance were Barr. Musa Ahmadu, Dr. Ademola Are, Chairman, Accommodation and Logistics Sub-Committee; and Dr. (Mrs.) Kehinde Ajayi, Chairperson, Media Sub-Committee, alongside other members of the organising committee and summit sub-committees.
Addressing the gathering, Adeboye emphasised that the summit represents a major opportunity to redefine Nigeria’s approach to grassroots sports development through sustainable structures for talent discovery, participation and advancement.
He stressed that Nigeria possesses enormous sporting talent, but that many promising youngsters remain undiscovered because of inadequate facilities, limited opportunities and the absence of structured development pathways.
“Somewhere in Nigeria today, a future world champion is waiting to be discovered. Our responsibility is to ensure that such a child is not denied the opportunity to succeed simply because of where they were born or their family’s financial circumstances,” he declared.
The Presidential aide commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to repositioning Nigerian sports, stressing that the recognition of sporting excellence must be complemented by deliberate investment in young talents across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
He explained that the summit would bring together government institutions, sports federations, private investors, development partners and other stakeholders to develop an actionable national roadmap.
The participation of Ms. Seun Ojo, representing the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, further underscored the important role of NESG as the summit’s technical partner in shaping discussions around policy, investment and sustainable sports development.
The press conference also featured contributions from members of the Main Organising Committee and an interactive session with journalists on the summit’s objectives and expected outcomes.
Scheduled for November 18–19, 2026, at the Banquet Hall, State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the summit, themed “Creating a New Pathway for Sustainable Grassroots Sports Development,” will focus on five strategic pillars: Participation, Talent Development, Infrastructure, Sports Economy and International Pathways.
Adeboye thanked the dignitaries, stakeholders and media representatives for their support, reaffirming his determination to ensure that the summit delivers practical outcomes capable of transforming grassroots sports development in Nigeria.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has dismissed as fake a viral poster claiming that it had reaffirmed the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
The commission raised the alarm in a statement shared on its official X account on Friday, November 6, 2026, saying the poster, which features the image of its National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, had been circulated on social media alongside a misleading message.
INEC stressed that neither the poster nor the accompanying statement originated from the commission.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, wishes to alert the public that a poster and accompanying text circulating on social media, claiming that the commission has ‘reaffirmed’ a Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, are fake,” the commission said.
It added: “The said poster did not originate from the commission. The use of INEC’s logo and the image of the National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, in the said publication is unauthorised.”
INEC said it had not issued any statement reaffirming the Mark-led leadership and urged Nigerians to disregard the publication. It advised the public to obtain information only through its official and verified communication channels.
The clarification comes a day after the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the Mark-led leadership of the ADC and invalidated the party’s nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
In his ruling, Justice Peter Lifu declared the party’s caretaker committee, led by Mark, illegal and upheld the case brought by Nafiu Bala, a former ADC National Deputy Chairman representing the North-East.
The judge also nullified all decisions taken by the caretaker committee, including Atiku’s nomination as the party’s presidential candidate.
INEC dismisses viral poster on Mark-led ADC leadership as fake
Dele Ezekiel, a supporter of Inter Lagos FC based in Ogba, Lagos State, has called for the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL), insisting that its adoption would help minimise officiating errors and strengthen the integrity of the domestic competition.
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Speaking during Sports247’s Let’s The Fans Talk programme, Ezekiel stressed that introducing VAR would create greater awareness and accountability among match officials, helping to reduce controversial decisions during league matches.
He maintained that Nigeria must embrace modern football technology if the NPFL hopes to improve its standard and compete with other emerging leagues across the continent.
“VAR is something that Nigeria needs to introduce in the Nigerian Premier League, so at least we can begin to compete with some leagues,” Ezekiel said.
He also expressed concerns about the progress of other African leagues, particularly South Africa and Ivory Coast, noting that Nigeria must take deliberate steps to improve its domestic football structure.
According to him, the need for VAR goes beyond correcting refereeing mistakes, as it also concerns the credibility and integrity of Nigerian football.
“It’s not just officiating. It’s something that speaks to integrity,” he stressed.
Ezekiel’s comments add to the growing calls from Nigerian football supporters for the introduction of modern officiating technology, with the aim of improving refereeing standards and restoring confidence in the NPFL.
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