Instead, it was the Gold Coast in Australia and the Sri Lankan city of Hambantota met the CGF’s deadline of March 31 to nominate as a candidate city.

Each will now build their candidature in the hope of being selected as the 2018 host city by the CGF General Assembly, consisting of representatives of all 71 member nations and territories, when it meets in St Kitts and Nevis in November 2011.

Abuja's bid appears to have become the victim of internal infighting among Nigeria's sports leaders, including allegations of corruption surrounding the last major events the country hosted, the African Games in 2003 and last year's FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

Nigerian news service Next reported the country's acting President Goodluck Jonathan had removed National Sports Commission chairman Sani Ndanusa from his position and pulled his country out of the CGF.

The CGF in London was today trying to clarify the situation.

The decision by Hambantota, a a town in southeastern coastal area of Sri Lanka, to put themselves forward is a genuine surprise as there had been no indication that they planned to bid.

Sri Lanka has never hosted the Commonwealth Games before and, if successful, would be only the third Asian city following Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and New Delhi in 2010 to stage the event.

Hambantota is currently undergoing a major redevelopment, including the construction of a new $210 million (£138 million) airport, and is due to be one of the host cities during the 2011 cricket World Cup.

CGF President, Mike Fennell, claimed he was delighted that cities from two different Commonwealth regions have put themselves forward to host the 2018 Games.

He said: "It is most pleasing to have two cities from different regions of the Commonwealth vying for the right to host the 2018 Games.

"We have India hosting the Games for the first time in 2010, Glasgow already selected for the 2014 Games as a European host, and now we know we will be in either the Oceania or Asia region for the 2018 edition.

"Each city has recognised the enormous benefits that flow from hosting a Commonwealth Games.

"A successful bid provides an opportunity to provide a legacy for future generations.

"I am confident that each city will put forward a strong case for selection.

"The Commonwealth Games Federation thanks both the Gold Coast and Hambantota for their interest and commitment, and we certainly wish them the best as they try to win the prize of hosting the 21st Commonwealth Games." 

Perry Crosswhite, the chief executive of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA), was as surprised as everyone that Abuja failed to meet the deadline to submit a bid.

He said: 'We certainly welcome the bid by Sri Lanka and it's disappointing about Nigeria,.

''Nigeria's a very strong sports nation and I don't know why they didn't bid in the end, but there's reports of some unrest there, certainly political unrest.

'"Sri Lanka is a strong sports-loving nation, just look at the cricket and some of the other various events.

'"They're going to put a good bid up."

Crosswhite said the Sri Lankan Government is developing Hambantota as a sports hub.

He said: ''I've no doubt they're on a mission that will certainly test us, for sure."

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