Renowned Nigerian football administrators Dominic Iorfa and Mike Idoko both from Benue state have denounced claims from an extract of a forensic report on the club which recommended that they refund billions of naira to the government being debts owed the state-owned Lobi Stars Football club of Makurdi.
Immediate past vice Chairman and CEO Dominic Iorfa who is alleged to owe over 1.5 billion Naira, described the report as a ploy to tarnish his image and family reputation built over many years on the foundation of integrity, hard work, determination, discipline and dedication.
A retired professional footballer who was once with Queens Park Rangers in England, Iorfa added that he invested all his resources and lost many of his properties borrowing money to keep Lobi Stars afloat because of the love he has for his state.
Opining that “those who compiled the report do not understand the intricacies, principles and protocols of Football Administration”, Iorfa who is also a former Nigerian International referred them to the budgetary provisions as well as how monies were spent in running the club.
He continued by pointing out that the report “should have taken into cognizance, the 40 million Naira monthly subvention for weekly prosecution of Matches at N6m per match, multiplied by the number of 38 league games”.
MUST READ: The man Sen. John Azuta-Mbata and the task before him
This according to him, is aside salaries, bonuses, purchase of players and kits as well as prosecution of FA cup and preseason tournaments amongst others.
While restating his love for his people, his state and the Club, Iorfa said that despite the embarrassment caused him by the report, he would seek redress through the appropriate quarters to save his image as his lawyers are presently studying the situation.
Iorfa who said he is being owed a huge sum of 300 million Naira by the club, also stated that he would continue to see Lobi stars as his baby project and pride of Benue state.
Also reacting to the White Paper on the Forensic Audit Investigation into the financial transactions of Lobi Stars, former chairman Mike Idoko said the claims against him are both distressing and misrepresentative of his unwavering commitment and sacrifices for the club.
Listing the milestones achieved during his stewardship, Idoko who has administered teams including Sunshine Stars of Akure, Ondo state in the past, said he “instituted transparency and accountability in all financial and administrative operations with a system where all payments were made directly to players and staff through their bank accounts”.
While pointing out that government subventions often fall short of the immediate needs for salaries, logistics, and matchday expenses, Idoko like Iorfa, said he “mortgaged personal properties and depleted resources to keep Lobi Stars Football club functioning”.
Idoko however reaffirmed willingness to cooperate with the ongoing investigative processes to clear his name and protect the legacy of Lobi Stars FC.
Followers of Nigerian domestic football would find the current developments particularly intriguing as both Iorfa and Idoko have been known to be rivals to the post of Lobi Stars boss for a longtime.
For upwards of over two decades it’s been a game of musical chairs involving the two football administrators from the middle belt state of Benue.
The many battles to control and call the shots as the man at the helm have been at times attritious and atavistic which is why the current situation presents both Iorfa and Idoko a rare opportunity to unite against what some observers term a common enemy.
The “common enemy” in this case is the Benue state government, a formidable force determined to prove beyond reasonable doubt that alongside Emmanuel Tamen- who was in charge in 2021-2022 season- Mike Idoko and Dominic Iorfa have to pay back a combined sum of 2.445 Billion Naira to the coffers of Lobi Stars Football Club.
How far they go in proving their innocence remains to be seen. And Nigerian football watchers are following with keen interest to see where the pendulum of victory will swing in this legal contest tipped to be one of the most celebrated in Nigeria’s club football history.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
