Dagana addressing the press

The forum of State Chairmen of Nigerian Football Supporters Club has demanded an end to Dr. Rafiu Ladipo’s reign as the leader of the body.

The forum members, who made the call at news conference on Sunday in Ilorin after their meeting, said he should vacate the office for another person.

They said that for someone to stay in a position for more than 30 years was no longer acceptable to them and so, the need for change in its leadership.

They declared their support for Vincent Okumagba, the national president of the body to lead the club.

The chairman of the forum, Dr. Johnson Dagana, who is also the Chairman of Bayelsa Chapter, said the forum wanted an election to bring in new members of the executive.

“Okumagba is our national chairman, we are fully backing him. We want him to be given absolute power but not the acting role he has now.

“We want him to take over as national chairman with full power, all the state chairmen are behind him.

“’We have been clamouring for election because we believe that the only thing that is permanent is change.

“If a man stays in a position for sometimes, it should be with tenure. As chapter chairmen and secretaries, we have our own tenure, four years is our tenure,’’ Dagana said.

He said that part of the deliberations at the meeting was how to help Nigeria’s football develop through our support, especially now that the Olympics were around the corner.

Contributing, Sir Ike Okeke, the Treasurer of the forum and Enugu State Chairman, said the body was against the Nigeria Football and Other Sports Supporters Club set up by Ladipo.

He alleged that Ladipo created the body to cause confusion in Nigeria because he did not want to leave his current position.

Okeke clarified that Ladipo was the President-General for Nigeria Football and Other Sports Supporters Club and that Okumagba was their own national chairman.

He said the forum held its meeting in states and that it was the turn of Kwara to host. (NAN)