BY SUNDAY AKINTOYE
Lagos State Football Association Electoral Committee headed by Ahaji Tijani Azeez has received total condemnation by the delegates and candidates following the manner and way the council football elections were conducted on Monday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere.
The Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) led by Fuad Oki mandated the committee to conduct football elections into the 20 local government areas in the state.
Our correspondent who monitored the football elections Monday morning noticed that the exercise was characterised by electoral irregularities and manipulations.
The elections were forced to be postponed as a result of agitations and complaints from delegates and candidates who felt that the electoral process was hijacked by some disgruntle element who contribute nothing to football development in the state.
Some of the delegates who spoke to our correspondent said the elections were hijacked by some politicians who want to put their loyalists to occupy the position of chairmen and board members.
“This is a big shame for Lagos FA. Imagine one Azeez Mustapha, who was cleared to contest for a board member in Mushin, but all of a sudden, his name appeared on the list as a chairmanship candidate. Tell me, when did he buy the chairmanship form and who cleared him to contest for the post of chairman.
“We only know Abdulganiu Yusuf as only candidate for the chairman position in Mushin but to my greatest surprise, Azeez who was cleared to contest for a board member was seen cleared to contest for chairmanship seat. This is a shame and I am afraid if this present FA board can bring any change to football in the state,” said a delegate who refused to mention his name.
Another allegation that was levelled against the electoral committee was the approval of new delegates who were not eligible to vote.
Some of the delegates who came from Ojo, Ibeju-Lekki, Epe Kosofe Amuwo-Odofin, Eti-Osa and Alimosho local governments alleged that the committee approved new delegates to vote which was against the rules of electoral guidelines, while some delegates noted that most of the new delegates are from other professions not football stakeholders.
“Only four delegates were cleared to vote for chairman and board members in Ibeju-Lekki, but when we were about to vote, we were told that the four delegates have been removed with no reason to justify this while they brought eight new delegates that are not in the football sector,”said a delegate from Ibeju-Lekki.
Despite the irregularities and manipulation rocking the elections, the electoral commiittee were able to conduct elections into some local government such as Shomolu, Agege, Ikeja, Lagos Island, Oshodi/Isolo and Ifako-Ijaiye.
Secretary of the electoral committee, Rabiu-Okikioposu Akeem refused to speak to journalists but said: “I will get back to you later Mr. Journalist.”
