AKSFA election exposed: Monday Uko bribes delegates with #1.9million

* Aloysius Etok fails
* Govt. candidate emerges new  chairman
* How I wish there was no interference-Senator

BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

Last Friday was indeed a disappointment day for sports lovers in the State when Hon. Emmanuel Ibah was voted as the new State chairman to pilot the affairs of Akwa Ibom State Football Association (AKSFA) in the next four years.

THE INK reporter, who was at the venue of the election (Ibom International Stadium) to monitor the process, noticed that immediately Hon. Emmanuel Ibah was declared as the winner of the chairmanship position of the apex football governing body in the State, observers as well as sports lovers at the stadium frowned at the normalization committee members which they accused of taking side in the entire election process.

It was gathered that a night to the election, the State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Monday Uko is said to have camped and hosted all the delegates at his private hotel, Monty Suites along Edet Akpan Avenue until about 1 pm. 

Monday Uko is said to have pleaded with all the delegates to vote for Emmanuel Ibah. The Youth and Sports Commissioner, THE INK gathered had pleaded with delegates as well as gave #50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) each to all the 38 delegates so that they would be happy to vote for Hon. Emmanuel Ibah who was his candidate. 

The Commissioner who hails from Obot Akara Local Government Area is said to have single handedly nominated Emmanuel Ibah who is also from Annang Nation to stand election in order to fight Senator Aloysius Etok who was seen by many as the most qualified and favoured candidate to win the election. Uko had influenced the normalization committee with his position as Youth and Sports Commissioner to ensure the result favour Emmanuel Ibah whom he presented as government candidate to fight Senator Aloysius Etok.

Emmanuel Ibah who is the Chairman of Ibom Angel Football Club, Ibom Youth Football Club and Akwa Starlets Football Club, observers say is not qualify to contest the position of AKSFA chairman as the election guidelines did not favour him which states that “A chairman candidate must have been in active Football Management and Administration for a period of four unbroken years preceding the date of the election via an affiliate of the association in the State and his Local Government of origin and must show concrete and verifiable evidence”, Emmanuel Ibah, observers say has only been in active football administration for unbroken two years since he returned to Akwa Ibom State.

Another irregularity that was noticed by are reporter at the election was that, amongst the three chairmanship candidates, only Emmanuel Ibah who was the government preferred choice was allowed to vote for himself.  

Speaking with THE INK, one of the observers who pleaded his name not to be mentioned on print expressed disappointment over what he described as selling of conscience by delegates because of #50,000. He wondered why delegates especially from Uyo and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial Districts would love money rather than voting the right person as AKSFA chairman. 

The observer said “I am highly disappointed over what I have seen today. How can delegates sold their conscience just because of money? They should have voted either Senator Aloysius Etok or Comrade Aniefiok Ekarika as AKSFA chairman so that we can have a change in the system of football in the State. But just imagine what they did.”

Another observer who spoke with THE INK said he was shock when the result was announced, saying Aloysius Etok would have been the best option for the position. He frowned at the action of the State Government for interfering in the entire election process through the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Monday Uko. He questioned Monday Uko’s interest in AKSFA election and described him (Monday Uko) as knowing nothing or little about sports. 

According to him “I feel sorry for sports in Akwa Ibom State, because sports administration this days is used for political compensation and settlement, it is no more on merit as it used to be in the past. Tell me, Emmanuel Ibah’s achievements in sports. This is somebody who just came into football administration just two years ago, because of Annang sentiment; he has been compensated with the position of AKSFA chairman. I am not talking about the position but I am concern about what he will be able to bring from the glass house down to Akwa Ibom State. To me, Aloysius Etok would have been the best chairman.” He said. 

Meanwhile, Senator Aloysius Etok shortly after the chairmanship result was announced; spoke with some pressmen. Etok while responding to questions said he was satisfied with the outcome of the result but that how he wishes there was no interference. In his words “The result is okay, if that is what Akwa Ibom people want, then I can’t say no but the only problem is that how I wish there was no interference from any quarter at all, it would have been a clean and transparent election.” 

The new AKSFA chairman, Hon. Emmanuel Ibah while making his acceptance speech immediately he was sworn–in, said his administration will partner with football stakeholders in the State to succeed as well as develop sports in the State.

He assured sports lovers that football and other sports will take a different dimension vey soon and that Chairman’s cup will kick start from next week which it will be immediately followed by Governor’s cup. 

Ibah promised on behalf of the new exco not to disappoint Akwa Ibom people in the next four years, adding that a new chapter has been opened in the history of football in the State. The chairman also vowed to develop football from the grass root by establishing Local Government Council sports in the State. He thanked the NFF representative, Alhaji Gusou for his effort and commitment to ensure the election holds.  

 Emmanuel Ibah pulled 26 votes, Aloysius Etok, 12 votes while Comrade Aniefiok Ekerika had no single vote. Hon. Imoh Atat was voted as vice chairman while Raymond Essien, Ifiok Umanah, Samuel Umoh, Kevin Anthony, Emmanuel Brown, Friday Ekpo and Felix Udoh were all voted as members. The election was supervised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)’s representative, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusou.

THE INK could not reach the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Monday Uko for comment as he did not respond to calls to his mobile phone number.