An aspirant for the office of chairman of Anambra State Football Association, Mr. Olisa Aniuno, has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to, as a matter of urgency, look into the issues delaying the state FA election with a view to resolving them and conducting the ballot.

Aniuno made the call in his office in Awka during the presentation of cash awards to the four winners of Hon. Patrick Aniuno Youth Cup Tournament recently held in the commercial city of Onitsha. He said that with a dysfunctional FA in Anambra State, football activities in the state have remained moribund, with talented youths wasting away.

In his words, “Grassroots sports activities in Anambra State are at a zero level because there is no functional FA in the state. We cannot continue keeping quiet.

“People paid money to buy forms to run for the state FA election, yet nothing has been done. Is their money going to go like that? Why can’t the elections be held? All the people contesting for the chairmanship position have been screened.

“February 28, 2015 was given by the NFF as the deadline for all states of the federation to regularise their state FAs but despite that mandate, election is yet to be conducted to fill the gaps in the state FA. How can you send someone to Anmabra State without any form of logistics to come and conduct election? That would be creating room for anybody to hijack the process and we cannot allow that to happen. We are being marginalised in the scheme of sports.”

While presenting the cash prices to the winners, Aniuno called on the players to put the money into good use and not relent in pursuing their dreams.

Out of the ten wards in Fegge, Onitsha South Federal Constituency that formed teams to participate in the tournament, Fegge Ward 3 came tops to win a prize money of N200,000; Fegge Ward 5 took the second position with a prize of N150,000; Fegge Ward 4 took the third place for N100,000 cash prize; while Fegge Ward 7 took the fourth place with a prize of N50,000.

Aniuno explained that the aim of the tournament was to create room for young people to get involved in the sports, adding that it is not all about the money but for the reason of competition and in so doing reducing tension in the land.

On his part, the organiser of the tournament, Mr. Chinedu Okoro, thanked the sponsors for their interest in discovering talents in the state through sports, saying that it is the only way to curb crime in the state.

He also hailed Governor Willie Obiano for being a youth-friendly governor with the various schemes he created in the state specifically for the youths as well as the provision of scholarship to about 20 youths in Onitsha South Federal Constituency recently.

Winner of the best player of the tournament award, Mr. Chukwunonso Unaekwe, who plays for Chigbo Offor FC. Fegge, thanked the organisers for giving him the opportunity to display his talent.

News Express reports that the lawmaker representing Onitsha South 1 Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Patrick Aniuno, sponsored the tournament while the state FA chairman aspirant supported him with the prize money for the winners.

The finals of the tournament which was played Godwin Achebe Stadium ended in 3-1 against Fegge Ward 5.

•Photo shows Mr. Olisa Aniuno presenting winners’ prize to Chukwunonso Unaekwe, best player of the tournament and captain of Fegge Ward 3 FC . . . recently in Onitsha.

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