Emma Jemegah
With the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) stepping into the crisis rocking the Delta State Football Association, a member of the board and Nigeria’s former international, Victor Ikpeba has explained the root cause of the crisis.
Speaking exclusively to Daily SunSports ahead of the meeting slated for today in Asaba by the NFF, Ikpeba submitted that the acting chairman masterminded the crisis by operating an illegal bank account unknown to other board members.
While debunking insinuations that the crisis was over his ambition to become the FA chairman, the former Super Eagles striker said he was rather after the development of football in Delta State and accountability in administration.
“The acting chairman is a friend and a fellow former international but we want the right thing to be done. On February 6, 2019, five of the board members met and resolved that the acting chairman is suspended from the board for operating an illegal bank account unknown and withdrawing money, using ATM card without authorization.
“The Delta FA has two accounts and there was no time the board met and agreed to open another account. An association account is not operated using the ATM and without a second party aware but the acting chairman kept the account secret and was operating it without the secretary and other board members being aware.
“At the meeting, five out of the seven board members signed and we communicated to the NFF but to our surprise, the NFF replied that we didn’t form a quorum. The FA started with nine members; the then chairman, Austin Okocha dropped out and another member died, leaving us with seven, including the acting chairman and another member, who sent apology that he was unable to attend the meeting for personal reason.
The acting chairman stayed away because he had been confronted with the accusation during the last meeting in January,” Ikpeba said