The Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) Chairman Fouad Oki has been suspended for alleged gross misconduct as the crisis plaguing the association got worse on Monday.
The present Lagos FA board is barely five months in office but their reign has been marred by controversies and largely unpopular decisions
The already tense situation on the board eventually culminated in the suspension of the chairman who had many allegations levelled against him, including being autocratic.
In a viral video on social media, vice chairman of LSFA, Liameed Gafar, accused the suspended chairman of physically assaulting him even as he declared the oppression is over now
Oppression is over
He said: “It is over, it is over sir, we can’t take this anymore, Chairman you slapped me and punched me in my throat, I will take anything for football and I am taking this again for football .. this is our destiny, this is our life.. the oppression is over sir, the board has suspended you unanimously”
It was gathered that five out of nine board members, were in support of Mr Oki’s suspension, while four were against it.
The board members led by the vice chairman in his address to the media on Tuesday stated the offences Mr Oki committed which violate the rules and regulations of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.
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Mr Gafar said the association boss violated the NFF statutes by not attending the NFF Congress with no excuse and without the knowledge of the LSFA Board, and that the embattled chairman also changed the association’s logo without the approval of the board and the congress.
According to him, Mr Oki also denied the Nigerian Professional League (NPFL) A1 Camera delegates access to test-run the A1 camera before the commencement of the league.
Infractions
The Vice chairman stated that the LSFA embattled boss has total disregard for NFF instructions on the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) rules and regulations regarding branding and streaming of matches.
He noted that Mr Oki went ahead to release the 2023/2024 NNL season match day logistics to NNL Clubs without the knowledge of the board.
Also, he disclosed that Mr Oki was at loggerheads with the Lagos State Sports Commission on the use of facilities and spoiling a hitherto amiable relationship.
He further said the board members suspended Oki for delaying and stopping several youth tournaments, and recreational football and threatening teams to move out of Lagos.
He revealed Mr Oki Initiated the independence of LSFA outside of the authority of NFF.
Twist
Meanwhile, more twist and turns are expected in the days ahead as some of the board members loyal to the Chairman insist he is in charge and the talks of suspension is only a rouse
A source, who is a board member of LSFA and pleaded to speak on anonymity, said the report that there was a physical assault by Mr Oki on Mr Gafar was a lie spread by the detractors of the board.
“Nothing of such happened, there was no physical assault at the board meeting,” he told NigeriaFootball.ng
“Nobody slapped anyone at the meeting. A motion was moved and it wasn’t seconded, as we speak, all the board members are with the chairman. There’s no cause for alarm because no violence was recorded at the meeting.”
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