LSFA Crisis

FA Scribe Under Pressure To Save Embattled Chairman, Fouad Oki

By Lanre Olaleye

The crisis rocking the Lagos State Football Association is far from over as the secretary of the football association has reportedly come under intense pressure to exonerate the association chairman, Fouad Oki from blame.

Football stakeholders comprising of retired footballers, coaches, referees, administrators and agents had reportedly petitioned world football governing body (FIFA) over the impasse that has snowballed into the impeachment of it's chairman amidst allegation of maladministration and unilateral decisions.

The impeachment was greeted with the physical assault of the Vice Chairman, Olawale Gafar by Fouad Oki who blamed the former for instigating his suspension.

The stakeholders who were visibly enraged by the assault on the vice chairman purportedly petitioned FIFA who reportedly requested to be briefed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the matter.

The Snoop exclusively gathered that the NFF has in turn asked the secretary of the association (name withheld) to furnish the federation with the full details of the matter.

However, sources close to the Ogunlana Drive office of the association exclusively informed our correspondent that interested parties including the embattled chairman, Fouad Oki have been  mounting pressures on the secretary not to indict the chairman in his report to the NFF. 

Besides, sources further informed that close associates of the governor including APC stalwarts in the state have been scheming to offer the chairman some kind of soft-landing in it's current dilemma.

But such schemes have reportedly fell on the deaf ears of the governor who was said to have been further inundated by further complaints against the suspended football chairman. Aside his autocratic tendencies, Oki has also riled members of the football confraternity with his grand plot to effect structural changes in the football set up across the state. 

Oki is said to be plotting to scrap the divisional set up and replace it with local government slots whereby each local council will be represented in an enlarge football congress which is contrary to the divisional arrangement contained in both FIFA and NFF statutes.

However, sources say this plot is aimed at allowing the embattled chairman to perpetuate himself in office by recruiting politicians from the 20 LGs and LCDAs across the state into the enlarged football congress.

Though, the plot has reportedly met brick wall from board members but the embattled football boss is determined to push it through.

Already registration form for local government football election has been offered for sale at the rate of N50, 000 while General Assembly members will pay N30, 000 even as Board members are expected to pay N70, 000 for each participant.

However, the ugly developments in the Lagos FA may have rubbed off on football activities in the state as club owners and administrators are not forthcoming in registering for the forthcoming FA Cup competition because of lack of trust on the part of the association.

This is coming against the backdrop of non commencement of the annual street soccer competitions which clubs have reportedly registered for as no commencement date have been fixed yet for the competition.

Read Also: Woman Arrested While Using Vibrator On The Beach