By Uzor Odigbo
Sports entrepreneur and former Gombe United Football Club Chairman, Hon. Ahmed Shuaibu Gara-Gombe has defended his position against the Super Eagles boycott of the second leg match with Libya.
Gombe also said he would not apologize to anyone over the comment. .
In a statement made available to TheNiche, he expressed regret at the level of gnorance Nigeria’s football authorities exhibited following Nigeria and Libyan National Teams debacle.
In the statement, he said, “My attention has been drawn to a report which I confirmed that some hydra-headed stakeholders were criticizing me based on my comments concerning the Super Eagles and Libya National Teams. Some are even calling for my head, saying I should Apologise.
“Firstly, let me categorically say here that I owe no one an apology because I have done nothing wrong. Those to apologise are people who brought disgrace to Nigerian Sports, those who have stollen Nigeria’s resources in Sports”.
Continuing, “There are people who have stollen anything there is in Nigerian football and are representing us in FIFA, they are the ones that supposed to apologise. Someone was also given N24 billion in less than one year for the AFCON, and Olympic Games and it was squandered without a Medal. Did anyone ask Him to apologise?
And you are asking me to apologise for exercising my fundamental human rights, for expressing my personal opinion? I’m not going to do that.”
He added: “I will still repeat that it is senseless for Eagles to return to Nigeria without playing the match in Libya.”
According to him, “Libya is not at war, football games not played at the Airport, it is played at the Stadium, Irrespective of the experience Super Eagles faced at the Airport, they would have waited to here from CAF and the representative of CAF.
I heard someone saying, “How could they communicate to CAF when they are locked in at the Airport”
“If they were locked in at the Airport, was Phone signals also locked out at the Airport?
Did the Match Commissioner also tell Nigeria He was locked in too?
“Two weeks before Nigeria vs Libya Match, the match officials and the Match Commissioner are known. The day you set out to play a match of that nature the authority resides with the Organizers (CAF). The question I ask the Super Eagles, when they decided to return to Nigeria, did they get in touch with the Match Commissioner? If they were in touch with him, did he tell them the match is postponed, they can return to Nigeria? If they were unable to get in touch with Him, Why?
Gara-Gombe queried, “How could they have traveled to a match destination, they didn’t have the numbers of CAF match officials? If they say they were locked in and no communication, how were they able to communicate to Nigerians via WhatsApp, Facebook etc. all informations that came out from Libya?
“in as much as I am not defending the Libya actions, what I’m saying is that the Libyans over reacted in their own response. Something may have triggered the Libyans to retaliate, although, they have a history of being hostile to visiting teams,
What am saying is that there’s no smoke without fire. I’m very surprised that those making comments on this matter including NFF officials are ignorant of CAF rules.
“If you take the rules guiding the Civil Aviation on international flight, the rules says that, any international flight coming to Nigeria must land at international airport of host county before going to a local destination. This incident happened to a Moroccan team which I personally handled.
They came, on their way to Uyo, to participate in CAF Organised Competition two years ago,
They had a chartered flight with a choice to either land in Lagos or Port Harcourt. Because the designated airport in Uyo don’t have facilities to process some documents through Customs and immigration, so they Landed in Port Harcourt first, they have to obey that. A concession was given for them to fly to Port Harcourt and later Uyo as plans have been made for customs to do the normal routine checks of stamping passports etc.
“So when the Libyans came because our football authorities are ignorant in handling these issues, the Libyans felt they were treated badly for not being allowed to land in Uyo. If they were properly informed, it’s a different thing, but who is to inform them if not the same NFF who are to receive them, but because the Libyans don’t know, they felt it was a deliberate attempt by the NFF to frustrate them, so they also looked for a way to retaliate.
That was why they also diverted by preventing Super Eagles plane from landing in Benghazi International Airport as retaliatory measure.”
He insisted that, “There is no CAF rule anywhere that says you must return to your country if harshly treated by your host county.
“By this experience alone, Nigeria has redicled its political institutions because everyone was talking, NFF, Minister of foreign affairs, Sports Minister, even the Nigeria’s President was talking through his madia aides, NASS issued a statement which was unnecessary, who does that?
“The 20 points footage of how Eagles suffered in Libya was a total embarrassment. This was the most senseless behaviour I ever witnessed. You know that this matter may go to arbitration, why expose your defenses before time, no secrets anywhere. If you want to protest, write a protest and wait for the Organizers (CAF) to decide.
Morocco and Algeria had problem recently, where the Moroccan team was detained inside the Stadium.
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The NFF allowed super Eagles captain to announce the boycott of the Match, where does that power came from? A player, it was not his job. A Captain’s job Should be in the dressing room and on the field of Play outside pitch is a no no, as decisions to be taken outside should resides with NFF officials.”