Ebonyi sports commissioner denies demanding #20m from a Philanthropist to host carnival  @ Stadium

By Uchenna Okeh Abakaliki 

The Ebonyi State commissioner for Youths and sports, Francis Idike on Monday denied the alleged demand of twenty million naira from a Philanthropist,, Chukwuemeka Ituma popularly known as Enviable for the hosting of sports carnival and football tournament at the Pa’ Ngele Oruta township stadium.

Idike spoke to newsmen in Abakaliki to douse the rising tension emanating from the alleged demand of twenty million naira before hosting his sports carnival at the state township stadium slated to hold 4th January 2026. 

According to him: “I wouldn’t know where the rumour comes from, because I would call it a rumour or fake news. I got information where the source of that rumour at the social media alleged that I asked for money. 

“I’ve even called Enviable, to know if anybody discussed with him about money? And he said no. I called the chairman of the local organizing committee for the competition. If anybody, in case I don’t know, discussed the issue of money, he equally said no. 

“Where is this information coming from? It’s just a few minutes ago that my permanent secretary showed it to me on social media where critics (name withheld) wrote all those things. It is high time all of us should understand that

Social media has a law that is backing it now.

You can’t write what you don’t know. Yes, Enviable and Kubana, who are partners in their business, yes, they wrote to my office that they want to use the stadium on 4th January for the final of the competition he’s organizing for the 13 local government areas. And I gave approval without asking for anything.

“I gave formal approval. So, they came to inspect the stadium because they were coming up with some foreigners and other actors. They want to do elaborate functions and to unite the Youths. Let me just call it a carnival. And I waited for them. 

“They came, as well, to resolve the issues they had with the NFA. I was able to settle this yesterday, when the NFA said they were not involved in the arrangement of the competition. And you know that NFA is the custodian of every football that is being organized in Nigeria.

“NFA, as far as an approved referee or registered referee will officiate it, you must come from NFA. And the NFA officials wrote to me about that competition, they didn’t know about it. 

“And I should wade in because it is wrong for a referee from Cross River to come and officiate the match without the knowledge of association of the referee from the neighbouring states.

And I was able to reconcile them. And the money issue was not discussed. Nobody talked about money.We had issues of 20 million, 9 million. I don’t know where it came from.So I was surprised because after the inspection of the stadium, I left for kickoff, a competition somewhere at Ebonyi North.

You yourself know the performance of our governor.What he has done for the state and what he’s doing. How can a young man like that criticize a governor that everybody is clapping for? Everybody is happy with” he stated.
Responding, the chairman of the local organizing committee of the football tournament who spoke on behalf of Mr. Ituma, 

said there was no amount of money demanded from them by the commissioner nor his aides. 

He said: ” First and foremost, we wrote to the commissioner for Youths and sport’s for approval of the stadium. He approved it for us.And when we went to the stadium yesterday,nobody made mention of anything.

“So I don’t know where that source of 20 million Naira or whatever is coming from.Okay, so what has been the cooperation of the ministry towards your activities? 

“Yes, he has been with us.Even yesterday, when our guy came,all of them both discussed, all of them discussed concerning the progress of the tournament” he said..