Enyimba Fans Call For Kanu Nwankwo’s Resignation Amid Relegation Fears, Leadership Crisis

Tension is rising around Enyimba Football Club of Aba as a section of supporters have openly called on club chairman, Kanu Nwankwo, to step down over the team’s alarming slide in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

The nine-time NPFL champions, once regarded as the pride of Nigerian club football, are enduring one of their most turbulent spells in recent memory.

After 26 matches this season, Enyimba sit 14th on the table with 31 points, a position many fans describe as unacceptable for a club of such pedigree.

Only two seasons ago, optimism surrounded the People’s Elephant. They clinched their ninth league title in 2023, prompting Kanu’s appointment as chairman.

However, the momentum has since faded. Enyimba finished sixth in the 2024/25 campaign with 55 points, missing out on a continental ticket, a benchmark supporters had come to treat as the bare minimum.

Now, with relegation fears creeping into conversations, frustration has boiled over.

“I was born and brought up in this stadium. This is the first time in history that Enyimba will be in the 14th position,” one supporter lamented at the Enyimba International Stadium as quoted by the Punch.

Another fan did not mince words. “We no get chairman. If him come here, we go beat am (We don’t have a chairman. If he comes here, we will beat him),” he said.

A third voice added: “Let Kanu Nwankwo resign from this job or else we will beat him. What has he done for Abia State?”

The unrest off the pitch mirrors the confusion behind the scenes. While coach Deji Ayeni, appointed under Kanu’s leadership, continues to oversee training sessions, the Abia State Government has unveiled Emmanuel Deutsch as the club’s new head coach.

Deutsch was formally presented at the Enyimba International Stadium by Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu, even as Ayeni led the team through drills earlier in the week.

The parallel appointments have deepened uncertainty over who truly controls football decisions at the club.

Administrative confusion does not end there. Two weeks ago, the state government named Daniel Eke as sporting director. Shortly afterwards, Kanu announced former international Uche Okechukwu to the same role, creating overlapping positions within the structure.

Financial questions have also surfaced. Reports indicate that the Abia State Government is probing the club’s management over the $1 million prize money received for participating in the 2023 African Football League. The inquiry is said to focus on how the funds were spent, including player payments, logistics, administrative costs and infrastructure.

The tension has been compounded by protests from players over unpaid allowances, adding another layer to a crisis that now spans sporting, administrative and financial fronts.