Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku will head the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for at least the next four years.
This was as a result of him winning the presidential elections held at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra on Friday, October 25.
Despite three rounds of elections, he emerged victorious with 93 delegates endorsing him after his closest challenger George Akwasi Afriyie withdrew from the final round of voting.
The emotions were perspicacious as was the reactions by the losing candidates.
The disappointment could be felt from across the large auditorium. Fred Pappoe and George Afriyie announces their concession sensationally, but despite the heroic actions, the crack in their voices could be heard.
The GFA has elected Kurt E. S. Okraku, a self-proclaimed football administrator at age 17, as its new president as they seek to rejuvenate the local governing body’s reputation following the embarrassing chronicle of issues that arose from the corruption exposé more than a year ago.
The Dreams FC President only entered the race when it was certain his former boss Kwesi Nyantakyi would have nothing to do with football anymore.
Nyantakyi was banned indefinitely from all football related activities following the scandal that rocked the Ghana Football Association in June 2018.
His removal from power paved way for several individuals who had dreams of leading the football fraternity. Some dropped along the lines, others pushed through and broke barriers to get this far. Seven were picked up electoral forms but Wilfred Osei Kwaku, President of Tema Youth and former Black Stars Committee Chairman, was disqualified on Article 33 (5) (C) of the GFA regulations.
The race turned into a three-horse one. Nana Yaw Amponsah had entered the battle ground late but polled 27 votes in the first round to remind all that he has been a force since he announced his candidacy.
George Afriyie was close behind Kurt Okraku in the first round with 40 and 44 votes respectively.
There was a second round, but at this time, Fred Pappoe, a former Vice President of GFA had decided to concede defeat after getting only six votes in the first round.
Kurt triumphed over George Afriyie and Nana Yaw Amponsah in the second round, with a staggering 59 votes, compared to George’s 43 and Amponsah’s 16 votes.
With a pulsating third round already underway – as per the GFA regulations, a candidate needed 50% plus one vote to secure the win – George stepped up to announce he will not stand for the third round.
He had given up in the race that took a good 15 months of his last 24 as he made it clear to the whole nation, he will contest the next GFA Elections.
A ceremonial third round was held though to confirm or reject Kurt Okraku as the new President. The former would happen and the man who began his career as a football administrator at the noisy Ashaley Botwe-Newton at 17 years was named the new President of the GFA.
Kurt becomes the new GFA President in 14 years, with his predecessor Kwesi Nyantakyi ruling for 13 years before the demise of his tenure in 2018.
He was overcome with emotion and could barely look anyone in the face with tears not far off from the eye.
He won and gracefully so.
Now the major stakeholders can say they have their football back in their hands. They claymores for this. Not all who contested for the various positions got it, but they have their old pet firmly within their grips and need to help us all forget the rot we experienced for a good decade under the old administration.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana