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The Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), Davidson Owumi, has said he is ready to clear his name of all the allegations of corruption levelled against him.

“I have submitted documents to back up my answers, which the EFCC was seeking to know. They have the right to investigate any petition filed in, said Owumi, who was arrested last week by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“So I will cooperate with them to make sure that the case comes to a very good conclusion. Like I have said since this case came up, I will not run away from being investigated because I am not hiding anything.

“If I drove myself from Abuja down to Enugu to face the EFCC, I can also tell you that I am ready to clear my name of any wrongdoing,” he said.

The EFCC had on Wednesday asked Owumi to answer a petition bordering on a number of allegations about his tenure as chairman of the Club Owners Association of Nigeria.

Femi Babafemi EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, confirmed that Owumi has reported to the office of the anti-graft body in Enugu and has also submitted relevant documents to help the commission with its investigation.

“He has reported to our office in Enugu, I must tell you. And I have also been informed that he has submitted documents relating to all the allegations levelled against him,” Babafemi said.

Allegations of corruption

Owumi has been accused of running the Club Owners Association of Nigeria, which has been described as an illegal body. He is also being investigated for allegedly running an illegal website; used to sell players from the Enugu club and for the receipt N23 million from Globacom Nigeria Limited under the guise of the Club Owners Association of Nigeria.

According to Owumi, contrary to the claims, the Club Owners Association is neither his company nor an illegal association. He said it has been in existence for over twenty years and was founded by Femi Olukanmi with members like Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and others.

Owumi told a sports news website that the allegegation that he received N23 million from Globacom was untrue as the club owners had no contractual terms with the company.

He said during the 2007 congress of the NPL, a motion was passed that one percentage of the title sponsorship fee should be ceded to the club owners.

“But the truth is that in the congress of 2007, the motion was moved and adopted that one per cent of the title sponsorship fee should be remitted to the club owners association. The money in question is meant to cover hotel accommodation and flight tickets of the club owners during matters relating to the congress meetings,” he said.

Owumi said he will leave the EFCC to carry out its inquiry into the matter since they have every document at their disposal.