Why state governors were left out in 2015 Nigerian Sports Award

• Ighalo, Ahmed Musa, Oshoala, others are top nominees, as voting phase begins
Organisers of the prestigious Nigerian Sports Award have explained why state governors are not included in the nominees for the various awards.
The 2015 of the Award has enters its voting phase, just as the organisers, Unmissable Incentives Limited, unveiled the list of the top three nominees in each categories yesterday in Lagos.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Chairman of the Award Panel, Ikeddy Isiguzo explained that state governors were left out this time because “most of the governors just came on board.”

In past editions of the Nigerian Sports Award, top personalities such as Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and Babatunde Fashola of Lagos had won the Governor Of The Year Award, but Isiguzo said yesterday in Lagos that they were left out this time because “the award is about performance and not popularity.”
According to him, since majority of the state governors are new in office, there is nothing on ground to assess their level of performance for now.

The shortlisted nominees for the 2015 edition of the award is a true reflection of the majority wish of the Nigerians as expressed through nominations for the different categories during the nomination phase’’ he said.
Isiguzo reiterated that an athlete is only eligible to win the Nigerian Sports Award if members of the public nominate him or her during the nomination phase for the award during the year of the award.

The 2015 Nigerian Sports Award event is schedule to hold on Friday, November 20, at the Marquee, Oceanview, Eko Hotel, Lagos.
Also speaking yesterday, the Executive Director, Unmissable Incentives Limited, Kayode Idowu noted that the long list of nominations was painstakingly scrutinized by the panel to shortlist the top nominees.

Unveiling the nominees, Idowu noted that two times winner of the Ball Sports Person of the Year, Aruna Quadri, was re-nominated for the category alongside the duo of Chamberlain Oguchi and Olumide Oyedeji who are members of the victorious National Basketball team, D’ Tigers that won the just concluded FIBA Africa tournament.
Idowu announced that the Coach of the National Men’s Basketball team, William Voight would be competing with the coach of Nigerian Powerlifting, Are Feyisetan, and the Women Cycling Coach, Bashir Mohammed, for the Coach of the Year category.

Nigerian wrestler, Boltic Sinivie, tackles Efe Ajagba (boxer) and Henry Hendrix (kungfu) for the Combat Sport Person of the Year, while Taiwo Awoniyi (footballer), Kelechi Nwanaga (javeline), Amusan Tobiloba (hurdles) top nominations for the Discovery of the Year category.
In the football category, Asisat Oshoala, Desire Oparanozie and Ngozi Okobi are contesting for the Footballer of the Year (Women) category, while Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa and the top scorer, in the ongoing 2015 professional football league, Tunji Adeniji are the top nominees for the Footballer of the Year (Men).

Idowu also revealed that World record breakers at the just concluded All African Games, Yakubu Adesokan, Loveline Obiji, will slog it out with Lovina Onyegbule for the Special Sport Person of the Year, while the President of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali battles Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Yakmut Alhassan for the Sports Administrators of the Year category.

Weightlifter, Balqis Otunla tackles Loveline Obiji and Lovina Onyegbule for the Sports Woman of the Year award, while Yakubu Adesokan, Chamberlain Oguchi and Aruna Quadri are the top three nominees for the Sports Man of the Year.

For the School Sports Award, Eyeanugie Primary School, Edo State, winners of the Channels kid cup award, 2015, Rochas Okorocha Foundation College, winners of Shell Cup 2015 battles the former winner of the category, Greensprings College, for the award.

The Nigerian Men Basketball Award team, D’Tigers, the Women Cycling Team and Beach Volleyball team are the three top nominees for the Team of the Year category.

Kelechi Nwanaga (Javeline), Uke Claire (Discuss), Tosin Oke (Triple Jump) a gold medalist at the just concluded All African Games are the top three contenders for the Track and Field Star of the year, while Mariam Usman battles Balqis Otunla for the weightlifter of the Year award.

The public voting for Sportsman and Sportswoman commenced yesterday and will end on Sunday 15th November 2015. Members of the public are expected to send SMS SMOTY for Sportsman of the Year or SWOTY for Sportswoman of the Year and the name of the athlete to 33140 or nominate through twitter using the hashtag #SWOTY or #SMOTY and the name of choice winner to @ngrsportsaward.