IMC uncovers plans to blackmail Sports Minister over new domestic league reforms
Investigations revealed that a top football official based in Nasarawa is one of the people behind the blackmail plot.
The Interim Management Committee of the Nigerian domestic league has uncovered alleged plans to use some sections of the media to blackmail the Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, over the ongoing domestic league reforms.
After two failed attempts to label him as a hater of the Fulanis and later as the Minister in 2015 and 2017 who blocked a foreign investor from taking over the league and all the stadia in the country (recall Dare was not the Minister of sports in 2015 and 2017) failed, people said to be connected to the former LMC and who have benefited over the years have hired some media men to write fallacious stories that the GTI, the new company partnering with IMC and NFF gave the Minister 10 percent of the N1billion promised the league.
The story planned to be published soon is being delayed because there is no shred of evidence attached to it.
The plan is simply to drag the name of the Minister in the mud.
Investigations revealed that a top football official based in Nasarawa is one of the people behind the blackmail plot.
The IMC has, however, warned the blackmailers of the consequences of defamation and character assassination.
At an IMC briefing on Thursday where a journalist raised a question about the insinuations about the N1 billion and the 10 per cent to the Minister, Dr. Gbenga Elegbeleye, chairman of IMC, described such insinuations as wicked and from blackmailers.
Reacting to some baseless allegations of misappropriation, Elegbeleye said; “Such insinuation can only come from a sick mind, a jaundice mind or a paid blackmailer because there is no N1billion naira anywhere. GTI is to raise the money.
“GTI didn't give us a dime. They only gave 200 million Naira to 20 clubs, at 10 million per club, and this money was not given to IMC.
“GTI are economists, they're bankers, they promised to help us raise funds, using their image. "As very credible organization, we believe in them, but we said before we go ahead, how can you help our 20 clubs for a start because they need support. We agreed that 10 million Naira is given to each club, and this money was not given to IMC, it was credited directly to account of the clubs, so we didn’t have access to the money.
“Secondly, on the issue of referees, we said pay the referee directly from your account.
“So for anyone to say GTI gave us 1 Billion Naira, 100 million Naira for Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, that shows they are part of the failed system”.
"If Sunday Dare is a deal man, why did he fight the old system who had a lot of money to throw around to continue staying in office?
"Such insinuation can only come from a jaundice mind or a blackmailer. GTI Group didn't give us a dime. The only money given to us by GTI Group was N200 million for the twenty clubs at ten million naira per club.
"These monies were not given to IMC. GTI is not title sponsor but a special vehicle to drive the league to where it ought to be, they're bankers and promised to help us raise funds using their credible organisation and we believe in them. So, we pleaded with them to help the twenty clubs with ten million naira each to kickstart the league. The money was not given to IMC but was credited to the clubs account.
"So, for anyone to insinuate that GTI Group gives IMC one billion naira and ten percent of the money goes to the Honourable Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, this statement can only come from beneficiary of past failed system."
