FEGUIFUT: Presidential election under very high tension
The Equatorial Guinean Football Federation (FEGUIFUT) is preparing to elect its new president this Saturday. A few hours before the holding of this ballot, which was postponed twice for lack of consensus, the tension is palpable. If we are to believe the statements of each other on the local media. To avoid any overflow, the election was relocated to Sipopo, in the northern suburbs of Malabo.
From our correspondent in Equatorial Guinea,
Gustavo Ndong Edu, outgoing president of FEGUIFUT
The Equatorial Guinean Football Federation (FEGUIFUT) is preparing to elect its new president this Saturday. A few hours before the holding of this ballot, which was postponed twice for lack of consensus, the tension is palpable. If we are to believe the statements of each other on the local media. To avoid any overflow, the election was relocated to Sipopo, in the northern suburbs of Malabo.
From our correspondent in Equatorial Guinea,
Charges of embezzlement at FEGUIFUT
Two candidates are thus in the running for the presidency of FEGUIFUT: Gustavo Ndong Edu and Venancio Tomas Ndong Micha. The first is the outgoing president of the Federation and the second is its first vice-president. Gustavo Ndong Edu has been accused for several months by most of the championship clubs of embezzling tens of millions of FCFA belonging to the federation and to Covid-19 funds granted by FIFA and CAF . This situation has led to the cessation of the championship for over a year. 16 of the 24 teams have, in fact, decided to boycott it.
Two candidates are thus in the running for the presidency of FEGUIFUT: Gustavo Ndong Edu and Venancio Tomas Ndong Micha. The first is the outgoing president of the Federation and the second is its first vice-president. Gustavo Ndong Edu has been accused for several months by most of the championship clubs of embezzling tens of millions of FCFA belonging to the federation and to Covid-19 funds granted by FIFA and CAF . This situation has led to the cessation of the championship for over a year. 16 of the 24 teams have, in fact, decided to boycott it.
Electric election in 2017
Faced with this situation, and for lack of clarification on the subject, the police and judicial authorities are joining in the dance. They summon Gustavo Ndong first to the judicial police. And then to the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Malabo, to hold him accountable. At FEGUIFUT, the tension is therefore palpable. “We want to have a free and transparent election,” said the chairman of the electoral commission, Ángel Francisco Ela. He hopes thus to succeed in appeasing the spirits. “In Bata in 2017 during the election of Gustavo Ndong Edu, the polling place was like a battlefield. It took the intervention of the police to prevent the ballot from turning into a boxing ring, ” commented a local journalist who had attended these renewals.
Venacio Tomas Ndong Micha, presidential candidate of FEGUIFUT
Faced with this situation, and for lack of clarification on the subject, the police and judicial authorities are joining in the dance. They summon Gustavo Ndong first to the judicial police. And then to the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Malabo, to hold him accountable. At FEGUIFUT, the tension is therefore palpable. “We want to have a free and transparent election,” said the chairman of the electoral commission, Ángel Francisco Ela. He hopes thus to succeed in appeasing the spirits. “In Bata in 2017 during the election of Gustavo Ndong Edu, the polling place was like a battlefield. It took the intervention of the police to prevent the ballot from turning into a boxing ring, ” commented a local journalist who had attended these renewals.
Venacio Tomas Ndong Micha, presidential candidate of FEGUIFUT
The intervention of Vice-President Teodoro Obiang Mangue
This year, the Election Commission had to organize several awareness-raising meetings. “To hope that the election will be held in good conditions” according to Ángel Francisco Ela. The entire electoral process, up to the election of the new president of the federation, was made public.
The vice-president of the republic, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, had gathered at the end of April, the two candidates in the running, to try to bring them to reason. A press conference was even organized at the end of this meeting with the number two of the Equatorial Guinean regime.
Gustavo Ndong Edu and Venancia Tomas Ndong then declared to the local media that a “consensus has been found to reach a solution which will benefit the federation and Equatorial Guinean football”. But a few hours before the election, this consensus remains fragile. Because statements on both sides are always inflammatory.
This year, the Election Commission had to organize several awareness-raising meetings. “To hope that the election will be held in good conditions” according to Ángel Francisco Ela. The entire electoral process, up to the election of the new president of the federation, was made public.
The vice-president of the republic, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, had gathered at the end of April, the two candidates in the running, to try to bring them to reason. A press conference was even organized at the end of this meeting with the number two of the Equatorial Guinean regime.
Gustavo Ndong Edu and Venancia Tomas Ndong then declared to the local media that a “consensus has been found to reach a solution which will benefit the federation and Equatorial Guinean football”. But a few hours before the election, this consensus remains fragile. Because statements on both sides are always inflammatory.
Africa News 24
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By: RUTEMBESA ANICET [CHIEF EDITOR] @ Africa News 24
