By Kalu Okpo Kalu
Emma Agu’s well publicized articles on many Nigerian dailies came as no surprise considering Kalu’s present day influence on Nigerian media. Emma Agu, from the way he sounded is overwhelmed by Kalu’s feat in Abia when he sponsored Enyimba Football Club to pull the chestnut out of fire, achieving the elusive but that was all Kalu had as qualification in chasing the FIFA topmost seat. That is paltry and inconsequential as it may not measure up to five percent of the total score. Did he look at all other aspects that could build or make a FIFA boss? Why is Blatter leaving through the backdoor? These are character and transparency hurdles that Kalu cannot pass. The FIFA job going for Kalu is like appointing the VC of a university based on his rapport with students. The FIFA Job goes beyond fraternizing and spuriously funding a team, intent on winning laurels.
Based on the paradigms of present Government of president Buhari which harps much on anti corruption, Kalu is the least qualified and except for a gutsy and shady type that Kalu is, he should have begged all to allow him a quiet stay wherever he is hiding.
Looking at all the facts available, Kalu is still standing trial at EFCC. The Buhari we know will instantly develop stomach ache if a Kalu supportive memo turns upon his table. Femi Adesina, former employee of Kalu, now Buhari’s media spinner is protecting his job jealously and would avoid any Kalu connection like others would avoid an Ebola patient.
Without being told, this candidate is too hard to sell. Kalu can be likened to a trailer with six tyres down and merely being pushed up a hill by six huffy men.
Buhari in his anti corruption war has a dossier on most so called rich. The case where Kalu donated paper cuttings as money, compounded with the withdrawn Abia University degree fraudulently earned while he was governor and the visitor of the university are stinking undersides that will definitely force Buhari into pulling out his handkerchief for a sanitary mask to save him the pungent stench.
The unending scandals of presenting forged PDP membership card would rather not help his case. As I read from one Kalu commentator two years ago, Kalu should work hard to rebuild his dwindling image if he has any. The two time failure at senate are pointers to a former successful politician who has lost touch with reality. Kalu is politically down and cannot win a councillorship ticket in Igbere, his hometown. Truly, it is as bad as that!
Remember that the protocol officer who smuggled the name of the clerk of the senate to Buhari’s post Ramadan breaking of fast is still under investigation. Kalu’s file on the presidential table would certainly draw up such ire
We recall that one statement made by Prof. Tam David West during the IBB regime that got him into trouble was when the Newswatch interviewers insisted on him comparing the two men he had worked with. According to him, during the Buhari era, nobody came with a note for oil allocation, but the IBB era may have been something else on the same issue. After that interview, a man who would have made a million dollars daily was docked for a Swiss watch that was not up to 1000 dollars. The above analogy tells much about Buhari and equity. Those with unclean hands should think twice. Mind you, I am not insinuating that Buhari calls the shots in FIFA, but NFF is not an independent body.
Just as I wanted to conclude this report, new facts emerged from sports oracles in Nigeria- Sani Toro and Paul Bassey in the Vanguard of last week and that of today Monday 17, 2015.
Toro warned Kalu of a possible deceit and Bassey spoke pointedly. ‘Let us for once believe that Chief Kalu wants to be FIFA president. Does any of his supporters know about electoral regulations for FIFA presidency, specifically article 13 that bothers on eligibility? Have they studied a way round it if possible? Was the leadership of NFF taken into confidence by way of information before they went to town? Did they reach out to the CAF president?
Emma Agu should look at these questions all over again though I am sure that he has earned his money for penning but it should be a warning to back Kalu sheepishly. Kalu should learn to take himself seriously before he expects others to do so. But no doubt, he is up to a game which certainly is not winning or even in running for FIFA presidency.
Kalu Okpo Kalu, wrote from Aba.