African nations are not friendly with Nigeria – Mark (You just found out?)

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Legislature, Senate Wednesday, February 13th, 2013

African nations are not friendly with Nigeria – Mark
Written by Dapo Falade
Wednesday, February 13, 2013

SENATE President David Mark has said that the just-concluded African Nations’ Cup had clearly showed that Nigeria had few friends among the nations in the African continent.

He also disclosed that the Super Eagles’ coach, Stephen Keshi, initially tendered his resignation dùe to pressure on him to take a foreign technical partner in prosecuting the tournament.

He made this known in Abuja on Tuesday at a special plenary held in honour of the victorious Super Eagles.

Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and the other 107 senators had raised a motion on Nigeria’s outing at the AFCON 2013.

According to Mark, virtually all the dignitaries seated in the State Box during the final match between Nigerian and Burkina Faso were vociferously in support of the latter.

Wondering why most of the countries onthe continent were against ÑigerÍa, the Senate President said, “we don’t have too many friends in the continent.”

He, therefore, said Nigeria must re-order its priorities and be self-sufficient in the face of the glaring hostilities from other African countries.

The Senate President also said that he spoke with Keshi on Tuesday who disclosed to him that he was forced to resign due to pressure from some quarters.

“I spoke with him on phone this morning (Tuesday) and he told me that he had resigned because of too much pressure.

“He said some people were pressuring him, saying he should allow foreign technical partners into the team,” he said.

Senator Mark however said the Super Eagles coach told him that he may rescind his resignation if the foreign technical partners were not forced on him.

“Once we give the task, we should allow him a free hand to perform. They must give him a free hand to continue to win for us,” Mark said.

“Our players have demonstrated a great sense of patriotism and true statemanship. I will urge the president to prevail on Keshi to stay and also be allowed to operate with free hand”, he said.

Meanwhile, the Senate, in its resolution, urged President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government to reward the Super Eagles handsomely, both materially and by conferring befitting national honours on them.

They however were against the idea of naming streets after them, noting that it cannot be sustained should the team continued with its winning streak.

Mindful of the degenerationof grass roots football, they call on the managers of sports in Nigeria to return tó the grassroots and develop the country’s abundant sports talents.

They said it was only by doing so that the new dawn in the country’s football and sports in general.

Via Tribunewp_posts