Ondo State Commissioner For Sports Orders Dele Ajayi Reinstatement as FA Chairman

Peter Dada, Akure The Ondo State Commissioner for Youths and Sport Development, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, on Thursday ordered the Ondo State Football Association to reinstate the sacked chairman of the association Dele Ajayi and secretary Daudu Alex. They were ‘sacked’ by the state FA led by Dele Ologbese, who became chairman of the association under the Amaju Pinnick faction of the Nigeria Football Federation. However, Ologbese insists that Ajayi and Alex remain sacked. Ajayi, who allegedly belongs to the Chris Giwa faction of the NFF, was fired at the congress of the FA recently while Alex’s appointment was reportedly terminated following the allegations that he was working for the Giwa faction. Speaking exclusively with our correspondent in Akure, the commissioner said the state government took the decision in order to develop football in the state. He said, “I have directed the Acting General Manager of the sports council to reinstate the sacked FA secretary with immediate effect and also nullify the purported removal of the FA chairman in the state, Dele Ajayi, who was sacked as a result of his loyalty to the Giwa faction of the NFF. “Mr. President has resolved the crisis in the NFF to avoid FIFA sanctions. We should not allow that to affect our state. They cannot use our state as a battleground. There should not be a division in the football house, anybody interested in any position should wait for those in office to complete their tenure.” Ologbese said the congress of the NFF held in Benin (by the Pinnick faction) had already recognised him as the authentic chairman of the FA and that the commissioner had no power to reinstate Ajayi and Alex. He said, “Ajayi is the chairman of the Giwa faction. I am the chairman of the Pinnick faction of the state FA and whoever is wining and dining with Giwa is against the development of football in Nigeria. “I don’t have anything against the commissioner, but he does not have the power to reinstate people that have been sacked because he is not a member of the Ondo State Football Association. I don’t think the commissioner can say that because he understands the rudiments of football association.” Source: punchng.com