Group wants Anambra football to enjoy peace

The Anambra State FA is never short of crisis and such has been the lot of the State’s football for ages.

Every four years there is always dramatic events leading to or aftermath of the State’s FA elections.

In 2016, it was a do or die affair for many and it took the setting up of two normalisation committees before a kangaroo election was held and Senator Ifeanyi Ubah won a clandestine election that was held a day before the advertised day of election.

Many of the cleared candidates did not know how or where the election held.

The aftermath was petitions and petitions to both the Federal Sports ministry and Senate Committee on Sports and all did not see day light.

Fast forward to 2020 and it’s like a movie and the incumbent fought to continue even extending his tenure by three Months but the tide did not favour him.

The NFF did not recognize two kangaroo elections, one of them virtually as non met the standard. The soccer governing body in the land then set up a caretaker Committee chaired by a young and vibrant football egghead, Dr Emeka Okeke to run the affairs of the State’s football for three Months and organize credible elections.

The Electoral Committee has since released both timetable and guidelines for the elections and candidates have emerged with Chikelue Iloenyosi who is PA to both NFF President, Pinnick Amaju & Senate Committee Chairman on Sports, Senator Obinna Ogba and Dr Emeka Okeke who resigned his caretaker Committee Chairmanship having wowed football stakeholders in the State with lots of achievements in his one month and three weeks stay as chairman.

In-fact he only accepted to contest after several appeals and requests from club owners and other stakeholders who want him to continue with the great development he started.

Both candidates are the two cleared to contest for chairman of the State FA in the 2020-2024 tenure.

Mr. Iloenyosi who is from Abagana is little known in the State as he has not contributed anything towards the development of football in the State and his critics hold the fact that he was Personal Assistant (PA) to the former FA Chairman, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in all the four years he reigned.

He is not popular in the State’s football and so all he is hinging on is to have Dr Okeke disqualified on frivolous grounds.

Alongside his ally and vice Chairmanship candidate, Chinedu Okoye they have gone about writing petitions to have the other candidate disqualified knowing fully well that he cannot get a vote on election day.

Their petitions grounds are that:

1, Dr. Okeke as former Caretaker Committee Chairman is ineligible to contest.

2, That Dr. Okeke is a Club Chairman and ineligible to contest.

3, That Dr. Okeke is a FIFA licenced intermediary through NFF.

In all grounds none should lead to his disqualification.

1, As a Committee Chairman, the law allows one to resign his appointment in time if he wants to contest.

2, In 2017, the Nigeria Football Federation Integrity Committee stated that State Football Association Chairmen should not be doubling as Football Club Chairmen and that they should choose which one to relinquish and which to retain and that led to resignation of some FA Chairmen as Club Chairmen including the late Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi who was then also Osun Utd Chairman.

That same law gives Dr. Okeke the right to choose at the right time. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander.

3, There is NO law in football that says a former intermediary should not aspire for administrative position, even as at today there are couple of FA Chairmen that are intermediaries and it does not stop them from performing their FA roles well. Moreover, Dr. Okeke did ask the NFF to delist him and he has prove of the NFF’s acknowledgement.

Based on the above they have no case and should go and prepare to face the delegates on election day.

They should be advised to campaign well and not try to cut corners.

Again Ndi Anambra have come to love the NFF President, Pinnick Amaju for the much he has done for it’s football and we appeal to him to call everyone to order to allow peace which will bring desired progress to reign in Anambra football.

The NFF should allow Anambra State football stakeholders who have suffered under bad governance of football in the State to elect their chosen candidate they feel will bring development of the game in the October 30th elections.

Anything short of the credible elections, the reason why the NFF set up a caretaker Committee in the first place will be throwing the State into another chaos and another four bleak years in football wilderness.

Signed

OGANIRU FOOTBALL NDI ANAMBRA GROUP.