LMC Calls For Calm, Seek Dialogue With Sports Ministry, NFF Over Licence Withdrawal

LMC Calls For Calm, Seek Dialogue With Sports Ministry, NFF Over Licence Withdrawal

The League Management Company (LMC) called for calm after the Sports Ministry declared the body illegal to eun Nigeria League and asked the Nigeria Football Federation to withdraw its operating licence, BSNSports.com.ng has gathered

The Sports apex body in the country through its permanent secretary last week declared the league body illegal and asked the NFF to withdraw its licence, a directive which generated a lot of reactions from football followers across the country.

LMC on Tuesday on its Twitter handle appealed for calm and seek to have a dialogue with the Sports ministry and also the Nigeria country football body.

"The Board of the League Management Company Ltd (LMC) says its attention has been drawn to a Media Release from the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (FMYSD) to the effect that the Federal Government has 

declared the LMC “illegal”, urging stakeholders to remain calm while it engages the Ministry in conjunction with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

"The LMC board also expressed distress at seeing the FYMSD come up with the public 

statement/position without first engaging the LMC/NFF to discuss any concerns or information regarding the LMC Ltd to hear from the other side and enable it to come to a balanced position.

The LMC insisted that "there is no court order or proceedings declaring the LMC as illegal. Likewise, there is no challenge in any court to the legal status of LMC". 

Tracking the formation and registration of the company, it noted that, "for the avoidance of doubt, LMC Ltd was duly and properly formed in 2013 with all due processes adhered with both Football laws/regulations and Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Laws (Companies and Allied Matters.

"Subsequently, the NFF Executive Committees at its meeting of 8th October 2014 in Abuja and the NFF Congress (the Supreme Legislative body of the NFF) at its meeting of 23rd November 2014 in Lagos duly approved the LMC Supplementary Regulations/Governing Structure pursuantt to the powers vested on Congress under the NFF 

Statutes (article 18 and article 78 subsection 2 and 3), as well as FIFA Statutes (articles 17 and 18), delegate the right to an independent/subordinate body to manage/ organise its competitions (NPFL inclusive).

"the LMC LTD is not a private body as has been misrepresented but a not-for-profit company duly formed 

by the NFF and the participating NPFL clubs by their powers as enshrined in the extant NFF Statutes.

This was simply about a judgement debt obtained in 2012 by Emmanuel Oboh/Emanuel Oboh & Associates against the NFL Ltd (originating from legal services he claimed to have rendered NFL Ltd between 

2008-2010) which he sought to enforce against the LMC Ltd ).

in 2013, after its formation. LMC won the court matter at the High Court (21st January 2014) and at the Court of Appeal (24th June 2016)", the football body said.