Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium: Rangers Fans Urge Ugwuanyi To Replace Sports Comm. With Oruruo

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Monday, December 5th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Disturbed by the alleged abandonment of the renovation work at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Sports Stadium Enugu, by the contractor handling the project, fans of Rangers Inter. FC of Enugu, have urged governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to as a matter of urgency redeploy the State Commissioner for youth and Sports, Mr. Manfred Nzekwe, to another Ministry, and replaced him with his Special Advisor (SPA), on information, Barr. Steve Oruruo.

Some of the fans who spoke to African Examiner Sports in Enugu Weekend under condition of anonymity, lamented the non- completion of the 25, 000 capacity Stadium, almost one year after the contract was awarded by the state government.

Our Correspondent gathered from a Source close to the state government that over a whopping one hundred million naira had since been released to the contracting firm, Reforms Sports Limited handling the project, which seem to have abandoned the job.

The Source said governor Ugwuanyi is seriously unhappy with the Sports Commissioner whom he is blaming for not playing his expected supervisory role in the renovation project, even after he convinced the state government to release huge amount of funds to Mr. Mike Adamu, the Chief executive officer (CEO) of the contracting firm.

It was further learnt that prior to the release of Mobilization fund to the Reforms Sports boss, who is one of the sons of former Director General D-G of National Sports Commission NSC, Dr. Amos Adamu, the Enugu Sports Commissioner had assured Governor Ugwuanyi, that the Cathedral as the Stadium is fondly called by Rangers Inter FC

Fans would be ready before the end of the 2020/2021 Nigeria professional football league NPFL season.

The Source who craved anonymity told our Correspondent that the last money the state government paid to the contractor was about 25 million naira he claimed would be channeled towards the clearance of the Astro Turf materials for the Stadium which he said, was at the Apapa Wharf in Lagos.

It was also gathered that the contractor later started demanding another huge amount from the state government for the payment of demurrage for the Astro turf, a request that didn’t go down well with the governor.

However, for the teeming Rangers fans, the non- completion of the renovation job at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium has continued to affect the performance of the Enugu club side adversely, as it has been executing its Nigeria professional football league NPFL home matches in Awka, the Anambra State capital, a development that has been counter- productive to the Flying Antelopes.

A die hard Rangers fan in an interview said: “I am using this medium to call on governor Ugwuanyi to please redeploy the current Commissioner for youth and Sports in the state, Manfred Ndukwe, to another Ministry before the next NPFL season begins, because he has shown his incapability on this Stadium issue.

The governor should replace him with his (SPA) on information, Barrister Steve Oruruo, who really understands the business of soccer and sports generally.

“As a former Secretary of Rangers Board, and sports enthusiast, particularly football, I strongly believe that Oruruo, has all it takes to take the sports sector in the state to the next level if assigned the portfolio.

“Without sounding sentimental, Oruruo, has the needed experience and capacity to return Rangers to its winning lane if appointed the sports Commissioner, So, Governor Ugwuanyi should as a matter of urgency assign him to that Ministry for the interest of the state.

However, as way of showing his displeasure to the Sports Commissioner, Governor Ugwuanyi, had about three weeks ago, at the government House snubbed Ndukwe, who had come to receive the touch of national unity for the ongoing National Sports festival taking place in Asaba, Delta state, South- South Nigeria.

Rather than direct the Commissioner on behalf of the Enugu state government receive the touch and officials of the federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ugwuanyi, was said to have deliberately assigned the duty to Barr. Oruruo, while Ndukwe watched like a mere spectator during the brief ceremony which took place at the government House lion building.

Shortly after Oruruo, received the touch and ended his address to the Abuja officials, Ugwuanyi arrived the government House, exchanged pleasantries with the visitors and Oruruo, but bluntly refused to look the side of Ndukwe, who was standing close to the Governor’s representative.

Meanwhile, our Correspondent who visited the Stadium weekend, observed through openings at the gates that the main bowl where the major renovation job supposed to take place looks abandoned.