By Toby Prince
Sports ambassador and founder of Amakson Football Academy, John Fashanu, has joined the queue of stakeholders endorsing former Governor of Abia, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu to contest for the position of Fifa president at an extraordinary congress on February 26, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland.
Although the football loving business tycoon is yet to publicly declare his intentions, the drive has begun with support coming from various football aficionados.
Fashanu, while speaking on Tuesday to Channel TV, clarified that reports linking Kalu to the Fifa presidency did not originate from the former governor. The former England international, however, added his voice by promising his unflinching support towards the quest for the first ever African FIFA president.
“The declaration needs to be made. Orji Uzor Kalu hasn’t declared for the position but a lot of football stakeholders in Africa, including myself, support the idea. If we want an African Fifa president, Kalu is the right man for the job. We are still consulting and if we do eventually meet him, we’ll try as much as possible to convince him to run”.
The 52-year-old explained that Kalu has a lot of experience and pedigree required for the position. He said a lot surrounds finances in the football world and somebody like Kalu knows the game.
“Look at what he’s done for Enyimba, he has managed a state and its finances and he has also done well with his businesses. He has the required experience”.
It will be recalled that award-winning sports journalist and former chief media officer to Super Eagles, Idah Peterside, had earlier joined the campaign.
Kalu engineered Enyimba’s back-to-back Caf Champions League success in 2003 and 2004 as governor of Abia. Due to his support for another Abia-based club, Abia Warriors, the club was nicknamed after him between 2005 and 2010.
With a net worth of $1 billion, Kalu is ranked 26th in Forbes Africa richest men list.
