Sports

Nigerians Urge Former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, To Vie For FIFA Presidency

Posted on by layo

Some prominent stakeholders including the National Vice-Chairman of the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON), South-East, Ndubuisi Opara, have been calling on former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, to vie for the FIFA Presidency in the February 2016 election.

Opara described Kalu as a thorough football lover and an achiever who would go the extra mile to succeed.

“I’m totally for the Orji Uzor Kalu’s FIFA Presidency project because he is a thorough football lover and a goal getter who is always prepared to go the extra mile to achieve his set target,” the former Orlando Pirates striker remarked in a telephone chat with Daily Sunsport.
“We all saw what he did with Enyimba International Football Club when he was the governor of Abi State, how he motivated the club to become the first and only Nigeria team to win the CAF Champions League back- to-back in 2003 and 2004, thereby, breaking a 38-year jinx” Warrior recalled.
“I wish to call on the Nigeria Football Federation and the federal government as well as other relevant authorities and stakeholders to give him (Kalu) total support to enable him emerge as the next FIFA President because Nigeria and the entire Afri- can continent would benefit immensely if Kalu becomes FIFA President,” Opara stated. Meanwhile, former member of the Federation of International Football As- sociation (FIFA), Dr Amos Adamu has again thrown his weight behind the call for former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Kalu to run for FIFA Presidency. He was speaking in Abuja on Thursday while hosting a group under the auspices of “Orji Uzor Kalu Fans Club” led by its Na- tional President, Mr. Stanley Okoro who called on him to support the candidacy of Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu as FIFA President.

The former Director General of the National Sports Commission noted that Kalu is eminently qualified to vie for FIFA presidency, adding that anyone who thinks in the contrary is only wasting his time. According to Adamu, the time has come for all Nigerians irrespective of age, tribe, religion and political differences to support her own and not allow this chance to go to a “smaller” country in Africa, noting that after 100 years of the existence of FIFA, this is the right time for Africa to assume the position of FIFA President. The seasoned football administrator affirmed that a lot of well meaning stakeholders in the football world are calling on Kalu to come out and declare his interest to run. “Nigeria should not wait to regret this golden opportunity, and who says a Nigerian can’t run FIFA effectively”, he declared.

Earlier, Okoro identified Kalu’s contributions to football in Nigeria including, funding the Nigerian premier league side, Abia Warriors Football Club, re-energizing Enyimba International Football Club to win the nation- al league for 6 out of his 8 years as Governor of Abia State in addition to winning the CAF Champions League back to back.