Edo FA Election: Benin Football Fans Vow to Invade Venue Over Vice Chairman's Embezzlement
Edo FA Election: Benin Football Fans Vow to Invade Venue Over Vice Chairman's Embezzlement
Frank Ilaboya, Edo FA Chairman
As Edo State Football Association led by Mr. Frank Ilaboya conducts another round of elections on Saturday, 8th of June, 2019, some aggrieved residents of Benin City, Edo State Capital have threatened to shut down the venue of the elections.
In an exclusive chat with OLIKA REPORTERS, three of the aggrieved residents who claimed that the Edo FA’s Vice Chairman, Mr. Alexander Olaye defrauded them of large sums of money running into millions of Nigeria explained that the acclaimed chairman of Nigeria football supporters club South South has been on the run for years.
Mr. Ojo, also known as “papa Barbara”, told our correspondent in Benin that Mr Olaye collected about N800,000 from him in January, 2015, with the pretence that he had football clubs for his daughter to play in Europe, Canada and Australia and since then it has been from one story to another.
He said: “Mr. Alex Olaye, through coach Jimmy told us that my daughter would be a foreign based player and also had the opportunity to school abroad while playing football, so I went to borrow the money with interest and paid him since 2015 January.
“Alex has been telling one story to another and running away from home,” Papa Barbara told OLIKA REPORTERS.
Another victim who simply identified himself as Kenneth, also alleged that Mr Alex Olaye collected over a million naira from him and some huge amount from some boys in his area with the pretence of helping them secure football contract in Europe for over 3 years without results and seeing him has been a problem.
According to Mr. Ken, “I have had times that I would stay in his house along Ring Road for hours, at times midnight and he would not come home. So many of us gave him money, I particularly gave him N1.1m and till now, it’s been lies upon lies. He would say Oladipo, the President general of Nigeria sports supporters club will soon release the money for him to pay them and so on, but now we cannot wait any longer, as it obvious that he scammed us and we must collect our money from him anyhow.
“He is bringing shame to Edo FA and we know they have elections on Saturday, such person with a criminal mind should not be allowed to go near public office.”
When OLIKA REPORTERS contacted Mr. Alex to get his perspective on the allegations, he went threatening our correspondent that he would sue our paper if we publish any story against him.
He said: “Let them come with evidence that I collected money from them, they want to tarnish my image because I’m contesting for election this weekend.”
But when OLIKA REPORTERS asked if he knew Barbara’s father, he said, I have given him some money back, what of the 200k my wife gave him before?
“Look I have a lawyer, if you write any story about me, I will sue your paper.”
When our correspondent spoke to the said coach Jimmy who was alleged to have introduced Mr. Alex to his victims, he confirmed the story and said that Mr. Olaye has brought shame and disgrace to Edo FA by his actions.
In his words: “Alex met me about 5 years ago and said he had contact to take footballers abroad to play professional football, I believed him because he said he is a member of the football supporters club, so I introduced people to him, including papa Barbara.
“I can confirm that millions of naira was paid to him and no single individual was issued visa or taken abroad and these innocent children are wasting away.
“This is a disgrace to Edo FA to have such person as their Vice Chairman.”
The Edo state Football Association holds its elections to elect new board, chairman and Vice Chairman on Saturday, 8th June.
The question many people who are aware of the alleged fraudulent activities of Mr. Olaye
As Edo State Football Association led by Mr. Frank Ilaboya conducts another round of elections on Saturday, 8th of June, 2019, some aggrieved residents of Benin City, Edo State Capital have threatened to shut down the venue of the elections.
In an exclusive chat with OLIKA REPORTERS, three of the aggrieved residents who claimed that the Edo FA’s Vice Chairman, Mr. Alexander Olaye defrauded them of large sums of money running into millions of Nigeria explained that the acclaimed chairman of Nigeria football supporters club South South has been on the run for years.
Mr. Ojo, also known as “papa Barbara”, told our correspondent in Benin that Mr Olaye collected about N800,000 from him in January, 2015, with the pretence that he had football clubs for his daughter to play in Europe, Canada and Australia and since then it has been from one story to another.
He said: “Mr. Alex Olaye, through coach Jimmy told us that my daughter would be a foreign based player and also had the opportunity to school abroad while playing football, so I went to borrow the money with interest and paid him since 2015 January.
“Alex has been telling one story to another and running away from home,” Papa Barbara told OLIKA REPORTERS.
Another victim who simply identified himself as Kenneth, also alleged that Mr Alex Olaye collected over a million naira from him and some huge amount from some boys in his area with the pretence of helping them secure football contract in Europe for over 3 years without results and seeing him has been a problem.
According to Mr. Ken, “I have had times that I would stay in his house along Ring Road for hours, at times midnight and he would not come home. So many of us gave him money, I particularly gave him N1.1m and till now, it’s been lies upon lies. He would say Oladipo, the President general of Nigeria sports supporters club will soon release the money for him to pay them and so on, but now we cannot wait any longer, as it obvious that he scammed us and we must collect our money from him anyhow.
“He is bringing shame to Edo FA and we know they have elections on Saturday, such person with a criminal mind should not be allowed to go near public office.”
When OLIKA REPORTERS contacted Mr. Alex to get his perspective on the allegations, he went threatening our correspondent that he would sue our paper if we publish any story against him.
He said: “Let them come with evidence that I collected money from them, they want to tarnish my image because I’m contesting for election this weekend.”
But when OLIKA REPORTERS asked if he knew Barbara’s father, he said, I have given him some money back, what of the 200k my wife gave him before?
“Look I have a lawyer, if you write any story about me, I will sue your paper.”
When our correspondent spoke to the said coach Jimmy who was alleged to have introduced Mr. Alex to his victims, he confirmed the story and said that Mr. Olaye has brought shame and disgrace to Edo FA by his actions.
In his words: “Alex met me about 5 years ago and said he had contact to take footballers abroad to play professional football, I believed him because he said he is a member of the football supporters club, so I introduced people to him, including papa Barbara.
“I can confirm that millions of naira was paid to him and no single individual was issued visa or taken abroad and these innocent children are wasting away.
“This is a disgrace to Edo FA to have such person as their Vice Chairman.”
The Edo state Football Association holds its elections to elect new board, chairman and Vice Chairman on Saturday, 8th June.
The question many people who are aware of the alleged fraudulent activities of Mr. Olaye
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