Another bolt of controversy has been unleashed on the impending election of a new chairman for Anambra State Football Association (ASFA), as one of the leading candidates, Dr Chukwuemeka F. Okeke has been disqualified by the appeals committee of the electoral process, megasportsarena.com gathered.
Okeke initially appeared well placed to step up from his previous role as former chairman of the caretaker co0mmittee, but the same panel has now revealed three reasons behind his disqualification from contesting as chairman of the body in this weekend’s rescheduled election in Awka.
Although Dr Okeke initially appeared as a leading contend for the post of chairman of ASFA, considering he was head of the caretaker committee before relinquishing that post some weeks back, he has been barred from contesting the election after a petition against him was upheld by the appeals committee.
In arriving at the decision to declare Dr Okeke ineligible to contest the polls on October 30 in the state capital, Akwa, a statement signed by appeals committee chairman, Barrister Okey Abazu, the secretary, Onyedike Chijioke as well as two members, Mr Chinedu Nzeribe and Barrister Austin Odum upheld three points of contention against him.
The first point noted in the statement from the caretaker committee’s secretariat at Udoka Housing Estate in Awka cited the decision of the appeals committee in noting that Okeke had been ‘a party in his own matter over selection of delegates’ for the election.
The committee ‘found that he was instrumental in registration of 15 delegates;’ a point that was said to have been supported by evidence rendered by Prince Michael Mbezue of Jimbaz FC of Ihiala in Anambra State.
It was also averred that Okeke allegedly ‘admitted in a letter to the state FA’s electoral committee on October 19, 2020 that he nominated some official delegates before he resigned as caretaker committee chairman.’
The second bone of contention raised against Okeke was the issue of him being a players’ intermediary registered with Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). In this regard, the caretaker committee stated: “There is a document before the committee which contains the name Dr Chukwuemeka Okeke.
“Where his name appeared with (serial number and registration number included) as an NFF licensed football intermediary, which offends NFF integrity initiative circular number 1, dated 1/02/2017.”
The third and final issue that nailed Okeke was the matter of his ownership of a football club in the third-tier Nationwide League One (NLO), which appeared to have been upheld by the division’s governing body in a document dated October 20, 2020.
The NLO alluded that Dr. Okeke is chairman of Aspire Football Club, but the caretaker committee posited that it is ‘a position he should not hold as someone aspiring to the position of chairman of Anambra State Football Association.”
The statement concluded: “Based on these findings, the Appeals Committee is satisfied that the appeal has merit and, therefore, disqualifies Dr Chukwuemeka F. Okeke from contesting as the chairman of Anambra State Football Association board at the upcoming October election.”
Incidentally, the NFF had on 5th August, 2020 set up a Caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the Anambra State Football Association for three months, following the expiration of the tenure of the Ubah-led executive team, and pending the conduct of fresh elections.
Chairman of the caretaker committee, Mr. Victor Nwangwu said that upon their inauguration, the association was given a mandate of taking charge of football activities in the state and supervise the election of local councils and the association’s football board, even as they handed over the electoral duties to individuals whose responsibility it is to see to the conduct of the elections.
On his part, chairman of the Electoral Committee, Reverend Father Obinna Dike said from the 15th -16th of October 2020, candidates will be screened to ensure that all meet up to the requirements and guidelines of both association and the electoral body.
Ironically, the previous caretaker committee chairman, Chukwuemeka Okeke had been widely identified with the recent Aspire FC Egwu Ogene football-music contest that brought together 52 ogene musicians from over fifty communities in Anambra State to compete for the top spot in a football-music contest hosted online.
A report on October 13, 2020 read in part: “The finale, an exclusive event hosted at Marble Arch Hotels, Awka, was graced by top Nollywood actors, including Yul Edochie and Bob-Manuel Udokwu, who were part of the judges.
“The event organized by Spine Communications Limited and sponsored by GUO Transport, New Age Mobile Concepts and Ojiofor Arts and Crafts, was quite tech-responsive and allowed viewers from all over the world to join in the three-hour long, electrifying event online via Aspire FC Facebook page and Elegbete online radio platform. It produced Obata Oturugo Ogene Group from Adazi-enu, Anambra State, as winner.
“Aspire Football club is a grassroots football club owned by the immediate past Anambra FA caretaker committee Chairman, Dr Chukwuemeka Franklin Okeke, whose board was inaugurated by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) last August. The club is currently the Anambra FA champions after beating Ifeanyi Ubah FC in the 2019 Anambra FA finals.”
