Gov. Ugwuanyi Fires Christian Chukwu, Dissolves Enugu Rangers’ Board

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Sports News Wednesday, September 13th, 2017

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Unhappy with the performance of Rangers International FC of Enugu in the just concluded 2016/2017 Nigeria professional football league NPFL, Enugu state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has sacked the entire management and Board of the club led by ex- Super Eagles Coach, Christian Chukwu.

African Examiner Sports reports that the Enugu club side, which won the domestic league in the 2015/2016 season after 32 years of trophy drought, could not defend the title in the just concluded season, as they ended up in the13th position in the NPFL log.

Jos based team, Plateau United is the 2016/2017 champions of the league. They emerged winner after humiliating Rangers 2-0 in the week 38 and last match of the season played last Saturday, in Jos.

The sacking of the management and dissolution of the club’s board was contained in a statement the governor read before the ex- Rangers officials when he met with them at the government House Enugu Tuesday Night.

The Flying Antelopes abysmal outing in the last season, according to the club’s fans and soccer enthusiasts in the state, was as a result of its inability to sign quality players, especially midfielders, as well as internal wrangling, indiscipline and players’ discontent.

It would be recalled that the Governor summoned a meeting of Rangers stakeholders on January 30, this year, after which he found it expedient to effect changes in the management and the technical crew of the club with the expectation that such changes would usher in a new era of peace and progress in the club, which never came.

Rather than things getting better, it was worsening in the Club, forcing the Governor to take this latest action.

The statement read thus:

“Therefore, in order to ensure the total revitalization and repositioning of the Club for future challenges, I have decided to take the following measures:

The Board and Management of Rangers Management Corporation are hereby dissolved.
The appointments of all contract staff of the Corporation are hereby terminated.
All staff earlier seconded to Rangers Management Corporation, are hereby returned to their parent establishments.
The appointment of the Club Physician is hereby terminated with immediate effect and all Corporation/Club property in his custody should be returned forthwith.
A panel of inquiry for a diagnostic investigation of the problems of Rangers FC will be set up shortly.
The Panel above will also articulate a Road Map for Rangers FC.
The Rangers Management Corporation Law will be amended to align it with the said Road Map and must specifically enthrone the following:

(a) Robust Governance structure with clear reporting lines in keeping with international best practices.

(b) Transparent accountability framework.

A new Board and Management of Rangers Management Corporation will be constituted with clear and complementary roles for delivery of the strategic goals of the Football Club as would be enshrined in the proposed amendment in Rangers Management Corporation Law.
The new Rangers Board and Management must hunt and recruit good players directly without any intervening football club. Rangers players must henceforth, be wholly owned by Rangers FC.
The new Board and Management will identify and engage a competent technical crew.
The timeline for attainment of the above objectives will be six weeks.

“I wish to thank the members of the previous Board and Management of the Corporation for the services rendered to the Club and to the State in their respective capacities.

“We also use this opportunity to thank our players in whom we are well pleased and reassure them that they are not part of the matter in issue and their salaries/allowances will be paid as and when due.

“We are grateful to the good people of Enugu State, the entire Igboland and indeed all the great fans and supporters of the Rangers Football Club for their patience and abiding faith as we watched the developments in the Club.

“I promise you, most solemnly, that we will do all that is necessary to positively change the Rangers narrative in the next soccer season.

“Enugu State will surely remain in the hands of God and Rangers will become Rangers again.

Meanwhile, some fans of the club, in Enugu who reacted to the development , described the governor’s decision as a wise one, saying it is a step in a right direction.