UCHEGBULAM TO DRAG NFF BOARD BEFORE CAS

By NBF News

A former Vice-President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amanze Uchegbulam, has vowed to drag the board of the football ruling body before the Court of Arbitration for Sports over his impeachment shortly after Nigeria crashed out of the South Africa 2010 World Cup.

Uchegbulam said on Thursday in Lagos that his impeachment was done illegally and he would go all out to challenge it.

He said,' The tenure of our board has ended but it is important to put the record straight and I do not want that stigma on my good name.

'They used voice vote to impeach me along with the former President, Sani Lulu and Taiwo Oguinjobi and I know that is contrary to the provision in the statutes of the NFF. The exercise was illegal and I am going to CAS to put the record straight not to return to the position. The statutes provides for secret ballot and that was not done.'

Uchegbulam, who is the vice-chairman of CAF's Appeal Committee, stressed that the recent crisis in Nigerian football was having a bad effect on his family.

He said, 'My wife and children are not finding it funny. So many things being said about me are not true. As the First Vice- President (of the NFF), I don't control money or write cheque. I know my duties and I did that to the best of my ability in four years.

'The issue of having houses abroad is also not true. I have one house in my village and two in Lagos. I do not have a house even in Abuja not to talk of South Africa or London as they are claiming.

'I have done my best for Nigeria during our tenure on the NFF board. People also said I was arrested while taking a letter to FIFA and that is outrageous because I was in my room when I heard the news. '

Uchegbulam, Lulu, Bolaji Ojo-Oba and Ogunjobi were detained at the Kuje prison for five days after they were dragged to the court by the Economic Fraud and Financial Crimes Commission.

'It was tough but the experience was not bad. We were able to assist some inmates there and also the days spent strengthened us,' he said.