Former Bayelsa State sports commissioner, Opukiri Jones-Ere has declared that he would contest to become the president of Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF) in the June 13 sports federations election.

Jones-Ere who is the incumbent chairman of Bayelsa State weightlifting association in a statement yesterday said he has decided to run after consulting with weightlifting stakeholders across the country.

The youthful sports administrator pointed out that weightlifting is a sports he has passion for, even as he has over the years been identifying with the sports and contributing to its development.

“That I emerged the chairman of Bayelsa state weightlifting association was because of my modest contributions to the sports. I have been an ardent lover of weightlifting and this informed my building a modern weightlifting gym in Yenagoa. I want to contribute my quota to the development of the sports at the national level,” Jones-Ere stated.

He further stated that his vision is to see the private sector throw its weight behind the sport insisting that Nigerian weightlifters would go places if given the needed support.

“Nigeria has got talented weightlifters that can take on the world if given the needed support. What is lacking at the moment is corporate support for weightlifting. As president, I would do everything to attract corporate bodies to support the sports.”