Bash Ali, Sports Minister Trade Words Over $1m Bribery Allegations

Boxing champion Bash Ali has made allegations against the Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, regarding their meeting to discuss the possibility of staging a historic boxing fight in Nigeria.

According to Bash Ali, the Minister made a request during their meeting in Lagos, which he found surprising and refused to comply with, leading to a breakdown in their negotiations.

In a press conference held in Abuja, Bash Ali revealed that he had been seeking the Minister’s endorsement for his fight, which aims to secure a Guinness World Record for the oldest boxer.

However, he alleged that the Minister’s request was unreasonable and unacceptable.

“I was taken aback by the Minister’s request, and I refused to comply. I am a World Boxing Champion, and this fight is for the Guinness World Record as the oldest boxer. I expect transparency and integrity in our dealings,

“I told the Minister to be patient, and once the fight holds, he will get clean money more than the $1M USD he is begging for,” Bash Ali said.

Meanwhile, Senator John Owan Enoh has denied the allegations, describing them as ‘baseless and malicious.’

Also briefing journalists, the Minister claimed that their meeting was merely exploratory and aimed at ensuring the successful staging of the boxing event in Nigeria.

“I never demanded any form of gratification from Bash Ali. Our meeting was exploratory, and I was only seeking to ensure the success of the event. Bash Ali’s allegations are a manufactured lie,” Enoh refuted.

The Minister also pointed out that the Federal Government had already endorsed the Bash Ali Boxing Project.

It is worth noting that Bash Ali has made similar allegations against previous sports ministers, and has been previously restrained by a court from making further defamatory statements.

The Minister has threatened legal action against Bash Ali and demanded a retraction of the allegations.

The incident has raised questions about corruption in the sports sector and the need for greater accountability and transparency in government dealings.

Source: Vanguard