ODINGA Lumumba, president of Alpha United football Club and General Secretary of the Georgetown Football Association (GFA), believes that it is time for a change in the administration of FIFA and urged the foot-balling world to support Prince Ali bin Hussein. The 39-year-old Jordanian Prince will go head-to-head against Blatter in today’s FIFA elections in Zurich and Lumumba is hoping that Guyana’s representatives – Clinton Urling, Rabin Chandarpal and Tariq Williams – will support the Prince.
“I’m calling for my brothers and sisters in the member association of CONCACAF and CFU, to cast their vote for Mr Ali,” Lumumba told the gathering of reporters at the Water Chris Hotel in Georgetown.
Lumumba, the former Presidential Adviser on Youth Empowerment under the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, is of the view that a support for the Jordanian Prince would be a support for change; something he believes the game of football desperately needs following recent arrests and issued warrants for several high-profile football administrators.
“I haven’t spoken to anyone on the other side and I’m saying today that the Caribbean must stand up and support Mr Ali who is for change and justice,” said the Alpha United football club president.
The GFA’s General Secretary wasn’t shy of his previous support for Blatter, claiming that it was under the 79-year-old Swiss football administrator’s reign that the game has seen an expansion, especially in the African nations.
“I think because of Blatter we’ve seen the World Cup in South Africa and Brazil and I think it was during his time in office, you’ve seen a lot of support for Associations/Country. Under Blatter you have seen the Goal project. Despite Guyana not doing so well, it has been very successful in the Caribbean and Third World countries,” Lumumba said.
But his sudden change of heart came following the revelations made by U.S. Federal Authorities and the high profile arrests made over the last 48 hours and Lumumba said he now finds it “difficult to support Blatter” and has since urged Urling to support Prince Ali.
“Enough information has been provided or produced to show the level of incompetence and mistrust and that the administration of FIFA is broken down and that the administration of CONCACAF is broken down and therefore in CFU it has broken down and it has filtered down in the system.”
He added “What you can see is the squabble for millions of dollars by individuals but no squabble for millions of dollars for infrastructural development of players and clubs”.
Urling, the Chairman of the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Normalisation Committee didn’t directly meet with the Federation’s affiliates prior to leaving for Zurich, but according to Lumumba, he (Urling) instead asked their input via an exchange of emails.
“There was no meeting but what he did do, he sent us emails, asking for an opinion and I told him at that point in time, I was supporting Blatter but like I said, a lot has happened overnight that has since caused me to change my mind and urging others to ask their representatives at the Congress in Zurich to support Prince Ali,” Lumumba added.
Blatter was elected president of FIFA on June 8, 1998, succeeding João Havelange and has been re-elected as president in 2002, 2007 and 2011. He (Blatter) is now asking for a fifth term in office.

 
Photo Name: Prince Ali