Former FIFA executive member, Dr. Amos Adamu has reiterated his support for the candidacy of former Abia State governor Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu to go for the top job of the world soccer ruling body FIFA.
Speaking on a magazine programme on Channels Television, Dr. Adamu said after a careful review of the politics in FIFA, he is sure that Dr. Kalu can make the difference that FIFA needs now given the messy deals that has enveloped the soccer body since the World Cup for 2018 and 2022 were awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively.
While Adamu is not discouraging the candidacy of Segun Odegbami, he was blunt to point out that he is backing Kalu for the job all the way because Kalu is a force to reckon with.
“Odegbami is a Nigerian and is free to throw his hat in the ring but I am backing Kalu all the way because he has the wherewithall for the job. Business wise, he has also got the clout and I don’t see anything wrong in a Nigerian heading FIFA. He is eminently qualified for the job, “ Adamu stated.
On the criminal investigation Swiss prosecutors have opened on Sepp Blatter, the former Director General of the National Sports Commission, NSC said there is an urgent need for the FIFA President to be suspended with immediate effect alongside Michel Platini by the FIFA ethics committee over a “disloyal payment” of over £1.3 million to Platini.
Adamu, 62 says he is “not too surprised” with the happenings in FIFA as he perceived the crisis rocking the world football governing body will erupt at some point.
The former CAF executive member further called for “thorough investigation” on FIFA as he feels more scandals will be revealed.
“I am not too surprised because I can see it coming when they started all these corruption charges here and there. I know that somehow when they look at the books they will come out clean; clean in the sense of it. They have been there for a long time. They know what is involved there and by and large they will try and hide things. But I am sure if they do more thorough investigation more things will come out,” Adamu said.
He described the ongoing inquest into the activities of the world apex football body and its leadership as “unfortunate.”
He, however, tracks the corruption crisis at FIFA back to 2010 when he was suspended from his role as executive committee member.
Adamu, who was found guilty by FIFA’s ethics committee alongside Reynald Temarii, for breaching the body’s bribery rules, claimed that he was made a scape-goat.
He is now calling on the same Fifa ethics committee to sit and suspend Blatter and Platini like it (the committee) did in his case while he was under a probe in 2010.
“It is very unfortunate (what is happening at FIFA). I told them when my case started that ‘this thing you’re starting, you want to make me a scape-goat it will come (back) to (haunt) you because if you are trying to say that the election is coming and you want to play to the gallery when the chips are down this thing will come down and it will be investigated properly.’ Now it (the truth) is coming out now. More revelation will come out and I believe that wherever he (Blatter) is now and all of them (at FIFA) will be jittery.
“Blatter should be sent on suspension immediately. You remember my case. When it came out the first thing they did was that you’re under investigation the rule says you must go on suspension. And they placed me on suspension the first day. Now he is under criminal investigation, he cannot sit in office if they follow the laws. I am waiting to see what the (FIFA) ethics committee will say because rules are rules. He should go on suspension immediately. Platini has been mentioned in the whole issue also, he too should go on suspension immediately. That is what the law says.
“That is what they did to me. Immediately the newspaper (Sunday Times publication) came in, the next day they called me and said the law says you have to go on suspension. I went on suspension until they finished all of the investigation. Now they have opened an investigation on them, the ethics committee should come out and play by the rules. They should go on suspension till they finish the investigation on them. And the most senior vice-president (of FIFA, Issa Hayatou) should take over. That is the law. I am waiting because today (Friday) is just the first day, so I want to see what the ethics committee will do. I want the ethics committee to follow the rules now.”
Source: The Sun
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