Former Gor Mahia chairman Erastus Okul has stepped up his opposition to the candidature of his predecessor Ambrose Rachier, saying he will pick up the issue with club patron Raila Odinga.
An angry Okul says he will not relent in ensuring Rachier is not on the ballot on August 8, an exercise he has proposed should be postponed and shouldn’t be done virtually.
He has instead proposed that Rachier should vie for the position of Football Kenya Federation Presidency instead of leading the club for another four-year term.
The veteran former football administrator revealed that he had sent emissaries to Rachier through outgoing secretary general Ronald Ngala so that the renown city lawyer can shelve his plans to vie again.
“I stand with my earlier statements that my good friend Rachier’s time at Gor is up. I’m speaking as the club’s life member. This is an issue I will pick up with club patron once he is back in the country from Dubai. I have nothing personal against Rachier but it is time he should hand over to another person,” said Okul a close ally of the ODM leader.
He said Rachier who took over the club in 2009 has been instrumental in ensuring Gor Mahia remains domestic and regional football powerhouse and urged him to use the wealth of experience to lead FKF.
“There is no person more qualified than Rachier amongst all aspirants who have shown interest in FKF Presidency. Some of them are jokers. I propose that he goes for the post because he is the only one who can improve deteriorating stands of Kenyan football,” added Okul.
Rachier made a stab at the FKF presidency in 2012 and 2016 but was defeated by Sam Nyamweya and the incumbent Nick Mwendwa respectively.
Since taking the mantle 11 years ago, Rachier fondly referred to as by Gor Mahia fans as ADOR has won six KPL titles excluding the current season and other domestic titles.
He has been praised as the engine behind the success of K’Ogalo as he is the one who ended the club’s 18-year league drought before bagging the KPL title in 2013.
Gor Mahia electoral board is expected to announce the guidelines for the club elections on Monday as the issue of whether an aspirant should have a degree continues to elicit varied reactions from fans.
Okul himself has opposed the condition of attainment of a degree, saying fans should be allowed to elect a leader of their choice.