Tensions have reached a boiling point within the Delta State sports community following allegations of a physical altercation between the Chairman of the State Sports Commission, Hon. Onoriode Oborevwori, and a prominent national coach.
In a press briefing held in Asaba on Friday, March 20, 2026, Hon. Oborevwori officially broke his silence, dismissing the reports of an assault as a “coordinated attempt at blackmail.”
The controversy stems from a reported confrontation in the Chairman’s office involving Steve Momah, a well-known national Kickboxing coach. According to sources, the dispute erupted over a long-standing claim for the reimbursement of transportation costs incurred during the National Sports Festival held in Abeokuta nearly ten months ago.
While rumors circulated that the disagreement turned physical, Oborevwori was quick to paint a different picture of the encounter.
Addressing journalists, the Sports Commission Chairman expressed his shock at the allegations, characterizing the incident as a verbal outburst from the coach rather than a physical assault by the chairman.
“I was shocked when Coach Momah started shouting in my office over a reimbursement from a festival that took place over 10 months ago,” Oborevwori stated.
Addressing the specific claim of a physical beating, Oborevwori injected a note of skepticism regarding the logic of the accusation. “In the first place, where do I have the energy to beat up a kickboxing coach?” he asked rhetorically, pointing out the mismatch between a sports administrator and a professional combat sports trainer.
The Chairman further alleged that the timing of these accusations is not accidental. With Delta State currently in high-level preparations for the 2026 National Sports Festival in Enugu, Oborevwori believes the scandal is being manufactured to destabilize the commission.
“This is a coordinated attempt to tarnish my image and cause disunity as we prepare for the 2026 National Sports Festival in Enugu,” he added.
