By Temitope Adefemi-Olowo on December 9, 2016

As preparations for the national delegates’ election into the National Executive Committee (NEC), of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC), billed for Saturday, December 10, in Abuja draws nearer, Prince Vincent Okumagba has declared that he is in the race.

Okumagba who is the National Chairman of the body added that he, his supporters and 90 percent of state delegates will be in Abuja in total compliance with the NFF directive that the poll be in Abuja for transparency, free, fair credible and for security purposes.

“In short, we have a letter written to us by the NFF reaffirming the election in Abuja on Saturday and also we have been in direct contact with over 90 percent of Chairmen and their secretaries confirming their arrival dates. You would vividly remember that in 2012, we tried to hold election in Lagos; it was marred by violence and irregularities which led to Court suit. Since then, the club has been operating on two parallel lines and such has retarded the upward movement of the club, until the reconciliation meeting by the NFF in October, where a truce was reached in a communiqué signed by Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, Chairman, Board of Trustees and Prince Vincent Okumagba, national chairman and was witnessed by Bola Oyeyode who acted as NFF Reconciliation Committee chairman,” he recalled.       

According to Okumagba, the Minister in his wisdom wants the election to be held in a neutral ground for free, fair, credible, election spiced with adequate security and transparency without any form of intimidation. He said that was why the Federal Capital was chosen for the exercise so that national officers would emerge without any hindrance. He insists that as a candidate he will be in Abuja venue of the NFSC poll to present himself as the candidate for the national chairmanship seat. He restates that over 90 percent of the delegates’ from the 19 states where the club exists have signified their willingness to be in Abuja to elect the officers that would pilot their affairs for the next four years.

“Lets us be realistic with ourselves, NFSC cannot exist without NFF because the product (football) we support is theirs. The government wants the best for the club and in order to ensure a hitch free poll devoid of activities of hoodlums, manipulation and violence that may result in loss of innocent lives and properties because of selfish ambition of some of the leaders, the onions are on us to obey government’s sincere directive to hold it in the nation’s capital to save ourselves had we known.

“Already, there are open threats that guns would be shot if I win the election therefore, my election is not worthy the blood of any Football Supporters Club member, observers and sundry. It therefore incumbent on us as leaders to educate our members to always be law abiding,” he said.

Okumagba enjoined all supporters that he wants a rancor-free club to come to Abuja venue of the national delegates’ election and elect their officers. He further revealed that the national secretariat of the club has been under lock and key for over five months now and described as mere propaganda,  recent information in the media regarding the forthcoming election and the honest steps being taken by government to make free, fair, credible and rancor-free exercise which some people are hell bent on subverting.

“This is to let the nation know that elections into the offices of the club hold on December 10, in Abuja. Anybody that has the overall interest of the NFSC and the country at heart and loves transparency, fair play, free and credible election should move over to Abuja for the polls where adequate security, observers from the NFF, Ministry and sundry would be on hand to witness. The sale of forms closed on Monday while the screening exercise which started on Tuesday, December 6, ended Wednesday, December 7,” Okumagba said.

He added: “NFF in a letter dated November 30, which was sent to the Chairman, Board of Trustees NFSC stated inter alia ‘while it should be reiterated that government has no business in the matter, it is pertinent for the Ministry to be interested in making sure that there is peace and sanity in Nigeria Football family, being the regulator of sports activities in Nigeria.

“Accordingly, l wish to communicate to you the Ministry’s position regarding the upcoming election of Supporters Club. For transparency, equity and fairness, the election should hold in Abuja. In line with its supervisory role, the ministry will send officers to monitor the election.

In compliance with the above, you are requested to forward a copy of the Electoral Guidelines of the supporters club to the undersigned (Bola Oyeyode, Ag. Director Competitions, for General Secretary) not later than December 5.

“Also take note that the election will be held in Abuja the Nation’s capital on December 10, as earlier scheduled, the statement added.”

•Photo shows Prince Okumagba.

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 9, 2016

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