House of Reps Backs Nigeria’s Bid To Host 2030 Commonwealth Games

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has called on the Commonwealth to approve Nigeria’s bid for the Commonwealth Games 2030 in the spirit of fairness and inclusion.

He said the National Assembly is backing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the country’s bid to host the sports competition, expressing the commitment of the National Assembly towards making budgetary allocations to the preparations for the hosting of the Commonwealth Games.

The Speaker gave the assurance when the Commonwealth Games Bid Evaluation Committee visited his National Assembly office on Thursday to seek his endorsement and legislative support for the bid.

On the entourage were the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko; the Director-General of the NSC, Hon Bukola Olopade; the Director-General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu; President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr. Habu Gumel, among others, while from the parliament were the Minority Leader, Hon Kingsley Chinda; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Abdul Ningi; Chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Hon Kabiru Amadu, and others.

“I want to use this opportunity to emphatically say that we in the National Assembly – both the House of Reps and the Senate – are very supportive of this bid. And I want to use the opportunity, on behalf of the Senate President (Senator Godwill Obot Akpabio, to say we are giving our commitment to ensuring that all necessary resources that are needed, we will provide them within the next two to three budgets, that will guarantee the success of this particular event,” he assured.

The Speaker also decried the fact that Africa has never hosted the competition since almost 100 years of its existence.

He noted that the Commonwealth Games, which were first held in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930, will commemorate its 100th year in 2030.

If Nigeria’s bid is successful, it will be the first time an African country hosts the Commonwealth Games.

This would be a momentous occasion for the Commonwealth and a milestone for sports development and inclusivity in Africa.