By Daily Sports on January 31, 2020

President Muhammadu Buhari with the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, and Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on January 30, 2020.

The President has revealed why the last edition of the National Sports Festival was hosted in Abuja – the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

President Muhammadu Buhari who received the ‘Torch of Unity’ on Thursday said the decision was to save the event from permanent closure.

He made the disclosure at a ceremony to flag-off the movement of the ‘Torch of Unity’ across Nigeria.

This paves the way for the National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in March in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

“I am pleased to receive the National Sports Festival ‘Torch of Unity,’ the President was quoted as saying when he received the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, and Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and others at the Presidential Villa.

He added, “It is a symbolic representation of the unity, peace, and solidarity amongst Nigerians, especially the athletes and officials in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

“Since the inception of the National Sports Festival in 1973, the games have been a useful avenue for interaction, integration for our youth, sportsmen and women and a platform for states to showcase their best in sports.”

President Buhari noted, “It is for this reason that the Federal Government intervened to host the last edition of the Festival in the FCT in order to salvage the sports fiesta from permanent closure.

“I wish to commend the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Federal Capital Territory for hosting the event in 2018.”

The President, therefore, called on investors in the private sector to join hands with the government in youth and sports development in the country.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting and providing the enabling environment for the development of sports at all levels. (Channels TV)

•PHOTO: Sports Minister Dare and President Buhari 

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 31, 2020

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