By Our Correspondent
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of Mainasara Illo as Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Anti-Doping Centre (NADC).
The request was conveyed in a letter read during Tuesday’s plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In the letter, President Tinubu said the nomination was made in line with Section 15 of the Nigerian Anti-Doping Act 2025.
“In line with Section 15 of the Nigerian Anti-Doping Act 2025, I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate the appointment of Mr. Mainasara Illo as Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Anti-Doping Centre (NADC) for an initial term of four years,” the letter stated.
The president also urged the Senate to consider the nomination promptly.
“While I hope that the Senate will consider and confirm the nominee in its usual expeditious manner, please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest regards,” the letter added.
Following the reading of the request, the Senate referred the nomination to the Committees on Narcotics and Sports for screening and to report back to the chamber as soon as practicable.
The request comes shortly after President Tinubu approved the constitution of the board of the Nigerian Anti-Doping Agency, a key step aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s commitment to clean sports and meeting international regulatory requirements.
Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, recently told journalists after a meeting with the president at the State House in Abuja that the approval marked a decisive step after nearly two decades of legislative delay.
The development followed the signing into law of the Anti-Doping Bill last year by President Tinubu, paving the way for the constitution of the agency’s board—one of the major requirements set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Illo is a prominent Nigerian sports administrator and former broadcaster with extensive experience in organizing major sporting events. He served as Chairman of the Bid Committee for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and was also a member of the Local Organising Committee for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria.
