Mr. Suara Moshood Onisemeje, the fan who petitioned FIFA and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over alleged political interference by Shooting Stars SC, has shelved the move.
He had alleged that the management of 3SC allowed Matchday 37, which involved Shooting Stars and Barau FC, to be turned into a political campaign ground.
Onisemeje said he decided to drop the petition in the spirit of sportsmanship and out of his love for the state.
His retraction reads:
Talking about some of the people I know that have the very solid vibes and spirits of a go-getter, this dude Idris Animasaun, whose picture is displayed, is one of them, but that doesn’t mean we can’t disagree on various social issues or approaches to public institutions.
On the issue of using Lekan Salami Stadium and Shooting Stars SC as a means of mobilizing people or image laundry for the Governorship Candidate of the Allied People’s Movement, the answer is NO!
Many public office holders should see the promotion of any state institution as a responsibility, not as something to glorify them for, because they are in that office to promote it. Marketing state products is also part of their responsibility, as is building anything that will have a meaningful impact on the lives of the public using public resources.
Now, Mr. Bimbo Adekanmbi is currently the Governorship Candidate of a political party. No matter the love he might have for Shooting Stars SC, all of his actions and inactions are being monitored to have political undertones, and they could be used against Shooting Stars SC, not even in this time of the political season, because football is a beautiful game that doesn’t have political language or traits.
Football gives everyone leverage and equity without bias, so bringing a political candidate into the stadium when an official match is scheduled should not be taken with kid gloves. The consequences for the team might be hard if the “Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL)” were as solid as other contemporaries in other African countries, or taking the case up with the football team might amount to many penalties.
The management of the Club should not be carried away with self-entitlement or saying, “Sabi, it is a State team, and we can use it to promote the current sitting Governor, governorship candidate.” I hope they are aware that people’s history is rooted in that complex, not just the sitting governor.
In the spirit of sportsmanship and for the love of our dear State, I am shelving my swords
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