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As the D-day for
the much-awaited election into the executive board of the Nigerian Polo
Federation (NPF) draws ever so near, polo clubs across the country have
for the past months become a battle field of sorts with high class and
expensive “polotickings”.

From every
indication this election promises to be the most closely fought polls
in the over a century old history of Nigerian polo. As you are reading
this, all the affiliated clubs have submitted their nominations and
forwarded their list of delegates to the NPF secretariat.

Though the national
body has refused to disclose the names of nominees and delegates, our
findings reveal an interesting mix of candidates jostling for the five
elective positions.

While the post of
the Executive Secretary may not be up for contest as the polo
fraternity is comfortable with the incumbent, Mohammed Baba Kyari, who
has been unopposed for three years running, the posts of President,
Vice President, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Legal Adviser and
Assistant Secretary will be decided at the polls.

One post that has
hotly dominated the various campaigns ever since, is that of the
all-powerful President. This is one strategic post that has truncated
two election attempts. Great polo administrators like Abubakar Umar,
Lawal Kaita, and Umaru Shinkafi have all been pointed to as possible
candidates, but none of them seem to be interested.

Our investigation
revealed that the race is likely to be a two horse race between the
former Lagos polo captain, Francis Ogboro, and former Kaduna polo vice
president, Alhassan Dantata.

While Dantata has
been on the project for the past three years now, Ogboro whose campaign
is catching on like wild fire came on board early this year. It will
take the 120 voting delegates to separate these titans who believe they
have what it takes to give polo a new face.

The post with the
longest list of contenders would be that of the first and second Vice
Presidents, where more than eight candidates are lined up. Our sources
reveal that big guys like Hadi Sirika, Kenneth Edet, Suleiman Abubakar,
Tajudeen Dantata, Alaba Alakija and Bashir Yar’Adua are on the list.

Another post that
is too close to call, is that of Treasurer, where Abubakar Kari is
likely to face opposition from Femi Oladele, Ibrahim Kontagora, Salmanu
Tilde and Abdullahi Ibrahim from Lagos.

Eddie Onah who has
been holding forth as acting Legal Adviser, will have a tough duel in
his hands as the President of Lagos Polo Club, Dolapo Akinrele (SAN) is
believed to have joined the race.

It was also
gathered that the Assistant Secretary post will be a hot race pitting
Hassan Gashash, Aliyu Sambo and Adeoye Ajibade from the Ibadan Polo
Club.

Bad blood

Dawule Baba, Musa
Yahaya and Prince Umar Kabir are favoured as Ex Officio members of the
NPF. At the height of campaigns leading to the polls billed for this
week at the Ahmadu Yakubu Club House in Kaduna, some contestants have
resorted to mudslinging and pure blackmail. This is in spite of the
fact that they are all friends, bonded by the noble game.

According to
election guidelines released last August in Katsina, delegates are to
be drawn from the ten functioning polo clubs that have been classified
into three categories.

The Category A
clubs, which includes Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Port Harcourt,
will provide fifteen delegates each. Ibadan, Bauchi, Jos and Yola,
which make up Category B clubs, will elect ten delegates each, while
Minna, which is the only Category C club, has five delegates. Zaria
Polo Club, Sokoto Polo Club, Nigerian Army and Police polo associations
that are associate members of the NPF are not allowed to participate in
the polls.

In offering to lead
the renaissance, Ogboro and Dantata looked very much sincere and
committed to the crusade, each citing the need to promote the noble
game and return polo to its past glory as their major concern.

Both are great
administrators with records that speak volumes. Ogboro who held forth
as captain for a decade, has the laudable achievement of transforming
Lagos Polo Club. He almost single-handedly turned the foremost club
into a million naira outfit, while Dantata restored order in Kaduna and
donated a viewing pavilion to the club.

The major
responsibility before the delegates now is to carefully study the
manifestoes of these leading candidates, ask the hard questions on how
each of them intends to turn things around, before taking a proper
position.

Finally, in voting, delegates should listen to their conscience.
They should not vote the interest of an individual or group. Rather,
they should vote in such a way that Polo the king of sport will emerge
the ultimate winner, bearing in mind that posterity will judge everyone
according to his decision.