Sunday Dare Speaks On Why He Disallowed Team Nigeria From Wearing Puma Apparel

Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youth and Sports says he insisted on Team Nigeria wearing only made-in-Nigeria kits because "the Puma deal was shady".

Much-criticised Dare also said that those involved in he Puma deal "will answer for it".

Puma’s termination of its sponsorship of Team Nigeria’s kits has met a lot of reactions, especially on social media.

In a message sent to AllNews on Thursday night by Kola Daniel, Dare's aide on media, the 55-year-old said he had no regrets about insisting that Team Nigeria wear only locally-made kits.

“I am presently with my team in Japan, despite all that has been happening or being said in the media. We are optimistic. A lot of people don’t know the truth. It was expected that Puma would terminate that contract. Why not?" Dare is quoted to have said.

“The kits provided by Puma is a subject of litigation. But people will soon know the truth. Those who procured the kits are running from pillar to post and one media to another to tarnish my name and make me look like the bad guy. I watched one of them on an interview with Arise TV.

“Is their concern really about the progress of Team Nigeria? Or they are afraid of what is going to happen when this massive case of fraud starts to unravel. I have no regrets at all.

"Yes, the Puma kits were available before we chose to go with our made-in-Nigeria kits, which are equally beautiful and durable and also good for our economy. The kits were unveiled by the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, so you think he would participate in that process if the kits were no good?

“It is common knowledge that the former Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) president, Engineer Ibrahim Shehu Gusau with his co-travellers is desperate to extricate himself from a contract that he controversially signed the AFN into, which has now placed him in a position of trying to blackmail Team Nigeria into wearing the kits. Ibrahim Gusau has conveniently neglected to tell Nigerians that he and Sunday Adeleye signed a non-disclosure agreement with PUMA, which details are unknown to the Ministry and board members of the AFN.

“Nobody will blackmail Team Nigeria into wearing those kits. They can raise all the dusts they want, but the dust will eventually settle, and then they will dance to the music," Dare concluded.