The organizers of the Unity Preseason Tournament have expressed their sincere appreciations to various Football stakeholders in the country for rallying round them to ensure the successful completion of tournament which has been become the flagship in the Northern part of the country.

Speaking immediately after the final match held at the weekend, the General Coordinator of the tournament, Patrick Ngwaogu (Odogwu Ndi Abia) said the response of the stakeholders showed wide acceptability.

“We thank the President of the Nigeria Football Federation Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau who took time out of his tight schedule to watch some matches. We appreciate the First Vice President of the Federation Chief Felix Anyansi Agwu who took time out to watch the final match, we are very appreciative to the Chairman of Chairmen Alhaji Ahmed Fresh who happens to be the Coordinator of the football family in the North Central zone, he personally bankrolled the payment of our medical teams at the tournament, Cone Sports company was wonderful, they kitted our finalists, former FCT FA Chairman Emmanuel Attah provided us with all the individual awards, Cool/Wazobia /Nigeria Info FM that availed us with their platforms to reach out widely, our official media partners, ECN Global Ltd, Zoomax and PIKINOFGOD Ltd, the Sports Writers of Nigeria and many more too numerous to mention.

Finally, the support of the FCT Football Association led by Alhaji Murthar Abba Muhammed can not be quantified. We are grateful to the entire residents of the Federal Capital Territory for their words of encouragement “the former FCT First Vice Chairman said.

An elated Ngwaogu promised a better tournament in the next edition, appealing to the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation and that of various leagues to provide a stable calendar for Nigeria Leagues, to enable the organizers of the Preseason Tournaments also plan adequately for the betterment of the country’s football.

The Unity Preseason Tournament is in its second edition. Plateau United won the first edition defeating Nasarawa United by a lone. EFCC FC defeated same Nasarawa United to emerge winner’s in the just concluded edition.

The event saw CAF’s Chief Safety & Security Officer, Dr. Christian Emeruwa, and FCT’s FA Chairman, Adam Mouktar Mohammed go head to head as the Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare, represented by his Special Adviser on Media Mr. kola Daniel, Chairman NUJ FCT Council, Emmanuel Ogbeche and the crowd watch on in excitement.

Between the welcome address by Chairman of SWAN, FCT chapter, Bunmi “Blair” Haruna. and the closing remarks by Emmanuel Ogbeche, the candidates addressed critical points raised.

THE CANDIDATES SPEAK

Adam Mouktar Mohammed was quick to highlight his achievements as the FCT FA Chairman when quizzed on his reasons for contesting.

He said, “I have been in the position of the FCT FA Chairman for the last 3 years, and I see myself as a game-changer. We are in the 22nd century where football has evolved into business, with my experience of developing young players from zero to heroes, I’m very much suitable for the job.”

He also emphasized picking players from all over the country and helping them through the ranks, from the U-17 to the U-19 to the senior National teams.

“I have invested my time and money for over 20 years, and have gotten my hands dirty, so I know what is needed and what needs to be done. I resigned from my position, came into administration, and in the last 3 years, I can humbly beat my chest and say I am the best performing FA Chairman in the country.

“We came in with the promise that we wanted to develop facilities, and we have done it. We have trained over 120 coaches which you can verify, and have returned the Abuja league to the top in the country. Talking about international cooperation, I have brought Bayern Munich, making a home-grown player to sign for one of the biggest clubs in the world. So I understand the business of Football,” Mouktar boasts.

CAF’s Chief Safety & Security Officer, Dr. Christian Emeruwa prides in his continental experience.

“I sit currently in a position where I can see what happens in all 54 countries in Africa, and we have what is called the Directorate Review Session every Monday, where we look at the development and progress in each member association. Unfortunately, I sit at the meeting weekly and listen to how my country Nigeria is mostly at the bottom. In terms of development programs, progress in capacity building, league performance, and so on, and I said within myself, that in this coming election, I will not be sitting down anymore in the comfort of my office in Cairo, without coming back home to try and vie for the position.

“I consider myself fit for the position because this is my profession. I studied sports from my first degree to my Ph.D. at the University of Ibadan, and I also worked within the purview of the NFF for many years, where I was privileged to be in the very engine room that drives the entire process of Nigerian Football, which is the office of the Secretary. I have also worked with FIFA since 2015, in a job that has given me the opportunity to support the delivery of different competitions. I have also been able to join CAF to start up a department that was never in existence in the last 60 years of our African Football, and today, within 3-and-a-half years, that department is the second best in the world.”

“I thought that with my wealth of experience and knowing exactly the problems of Nigerian Football, it will be uncharitable to close my eyes, and not come back home to try to contribute,”
Christian Emeruwa said while answering questions on why he decided to vie for the position of NFF president.

The event had journalists and football fans gather at the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) FCT Council Secretariat, Utako Abuja.

By Harry Awurumibe

A week to the much-awaited Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) election into its Executive Board slated for September 30 in Benin City, frontrunner in the race for the President of the federation, Dr. Christian Emeruwa has continued his nationwide consultation with critical stakeholders in football in Nigeria.

Dr. Emeruwa who seems to be the only presidential candidate running for the exalted office has for the past 15 days been engaging the NFF Delegates to the Elective Congress in Benin City, just as he has held several media sessions with the sporting press.

Specifically, the astute football administrator and Founder/Head of Security and Safety Department of Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) who was the first person to indicate his interest in the NFF Presidency and the first aspirant to buy the form has held Consultative Meetings with NFF Zonal Delegates across the six geopolitical zones except South South Caucus meeting which hold this weekend.

The former Head of Integrity Unit of NFF has successfully held meetings with the North Central, North West and North East Caucus of NFF just as he also met with South East and South West NFF Delegates.

Worthy of mentioning is the facts that 95% of State Football Associations Chairmen attended the meetings where Dr. Emeruwa presented his strategic plans to create a viable football economy that will benefit Nigeria football stakeholders if voted into the office in Benin City.

Aside holding meetings with FA Chairmen, the most visible candidate out of the 11 cleared by the NFF Electoral Committee first met with the vibrant Nigerian sporting press when he hosted the Sports Editors at Sheraton Hotels Ikeja in Lagos where he laid bare his plans to overhaul the entire gamut of Nigeria football administration and organisation of the various leagues.

Also, Dr. Emeruwa has held strategic meetings with other critical stakeholders in football as he has extracted commitments from the multinational oil company TotalEnergies Plc after paying a courtesy visit to the. Managing Director Dr. Samba Seye in Lagos.

The energetic presidential candidate has also become a toast of the media as he has made several appearances on national and international television stations, radio and newspapers houses to sell his plans to create a viable football economy that will benefit stakeholders if voted into the office.

Meanwhile, Dr. Emeruwa on Thursday attended NFF Presidential Debate organised by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter for the 11 persons cleared to contest for the September 30 presidential election.

Sadly, Dr. Emeruwa and current FCT Football Association, Chairman Mohammed Mouktar were the two contestants out of 11 who attended the debate which took place at Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Secretariat at Utako, Abuja.

Nine other candidates for the NFF top post did not attend the debate, although details of why they failed to show up could not be obtained as at the time of this report.

In the last few weeks or so, names emerged from the blues as stakeholders staked their money for the ultimate prize. Names cropped up from the north, south, east and west leaving many with the option of permutations and calculations.

Reason is that, some felt that the time has come for the new order. They say, if Amaju must go, all those his kingpins that conspired with him to leave our football in this present mess, have to go with him.

They say, if for eight years, these men failed woefully to right the many wrongs in Nigeria football,, they stand no chance to get it right if given the chance to try.

We have in this group of unlookers, a man who skillfully wants to play nice. For eight years, he surrendered to loyalty and never for once did he stand up to look his boss at the face. Is that the leader we want to have? The answer is no!

Then there is another who flourishes in the glamor and razzmatazz of international appointments at the expense of his original assignment. He is loved by many but has overstretched the handshake. Today, those who love him have joined the opposition to fight him. That’s the unfortunate reality of the moment but it has to do with hia ungodly loyalty and attachment to a man who for eight years as NFF president spent more time before the mirror, admiring himself and his personal achievements at the expense of our National pride and goal.

You might want to exonerate others who claim that there is little or nothing they could do to steady the ship. However, if the head is bad, the body is useless.

Now step forward Alhaji Abba Mukhtar, a man whose tenure as FCT FA chairman has brought new lease of life to a state struggling to live up to it’s status as the home of Nigeria football.

Mukhtar has changed the narratives, he has employed men and women with capacity and class and has given them authority to work. The secretariat stands out as one, if not the best in the land, the FCT grassroot policy stands out as the very best in Nigeria today and added to that, we have a selfless leader who is determined to return Nigeria football to it’s rightful place on the global map.

In outlining his plans for Nigeria football, Mukhtar didn’t mince words. He has identified his priorities and has promised to stay loyal to them.

Among these priorities is creating an enabling environment for Nigeria football to thrive, putting in place a functional and working secretariat, relaunching Nigeria football as one of the Super powers of Africa and World football, investing in age grade national teams and returning to the grassroot, the home of talent.

For those who don’t know this man, let me educate you a little.

Abba Mukhtar Mohammed is a successful businessman and politician who was elected FCT FA Chairman three years ago after he had served the FA as Second Vice Chairman. Mohammed majored in Accounting and Economics at the Middlesex University in the United Kingdom and has a deep passion for the round leader game.

His passion is football. Infact, he eats and drinks football. No wonder, most Nigerian footballers, especially those that grew up in the north identify with him.

For him, the footballers come first. He doesn’t collect money from footballers, he gives them money if and when they ask. He is focused, young and enterprising, he is an ambitious goal getter, one with an eye for results.

Two days after announcing his intention to contest for the NFF presidential seat, the game changer has had to battle with negative and positive vibes but he is resolute and determined, ready to see this to the very end.