The seems to be no end in sight to the crises in the camp of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side, Sharks of Port Harcourt, with the Rivers State Sports Commissioner, Fred Igwe, being accused of plotting to destroy the club.
The immediate past Secretary of the club, Cyril Dum Wite, literary tore the commissioner to pieces with a number of allegations levelled against Igwe on Wednesday.
Wite not only accused Igwe of deliberate ploy to ruin the club, he alleged that the commissioner was pursuing ethnic agenda with what seems like faultless facts.
He said: “First, the entire Technical Crew and management team, admin and support staff that prosecuted the 2011/12 football season was sacked and replaced by his friends and kinsmen from Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State who clearly had no cognate experience.”
Wite, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State, stated that between 2011 and now, the incumbent commissioner has sacked three Technical Advisers – John Obuh, Imama Amapakabo and Austin Eguavoen – for reasons other than professional competence.
Wite said: “A look at the management structure speaks volumes of favour, ethnicity, inexperience, personal interest rather than the urge to win laurels for Rivers State.
“The Acting General Manager of the club, Okey Kpalukwu, a civil servant posted to the team as an administrative secretary to link the team and sponsors (Rivers State Government), clearly has no knowledge of the rules of football administration.
“He is only actively involved in booking substandard hotels for the team and denying team members their entitlements.”
Wite stated further stated that the acting Secretary, Jerry Abredi, came with Igwe to assume duties as his Personal Assistant with only a background experience as a Sharks supporter.
He said: “His (Abredi) knowledge of the rules of the game is at best half baked.
“Accountant: The team has none as the Acting General Manager performs this role to the delight of Sports Commissioner.
“I cannot imagine any team in Nigeria that does not have an accountant.
“Business Development Manager (Gabi Chujor): a friend to the commissioner and hails from the same Local Government Area (Eleme).
“Media Officer (Peter Abaje), a friend of the Commissioner who acts as his personal media officer rather than the team.
“Physical Trainer (Prince Ovoh): A crony recruited from a gymnasium who had never related to footballers before.
“Curator: Obari Lambert. He had never had any contact with footballers and did not attend the first prematch meeting of the season because he simply did not know he had to attend. He is also from the same Eleme Local Government Area as the Sports Commissioner.
“In fact 70% of the “Restructuring” efforts was based on friendship and ethnicity among the commissioner, Acting General Manager and the very naïve Personal Assistant to the sports commissioner.”
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