Sack Of LMC Is The Beginning Of Domestic Football Reforms - Harrison Jalla

The Chairman of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN) Project 2022 Task Force, Harrison Jalla, has described the announcement of the sack of the League Management Company (LMC), on September 9, 2022, as a good tiding by the Federal Government through the Office of Minister of Youth and Sports.

He alleged that “the LMC was deliberately contrived by its promoters to defraud Nigerian football. It was a well-orchestrated scam backed by the leadership of the outgoing board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Almost 50m United States Dollars realised from sponsorships in the first six years of its operations found its way into private pockets.”

“Chief Sunday Dare should demand the following; that the LMC should show football stakeholders and Nigerians the assets it’s leaving behind for the Interim management committee after 10 years of managing the NPFL. This is because the trio of Chief Oyiuki Obaseki of blessed memory, Prince Davidson Owumi and Chief Rumson Baribote in the few years of their operations left massive assets for the NPL.

“These include a building housing the NPL headquarters which was outrightly acquired, official vehicles, good welfare packages for staff and up-to-date and prompt payments of match indemnities. And above all, there were fantastic relationships with their sponsors.”

He advised that the NPFL as the flagship of Nigeria’s domestic football should be assisted with a take-off grant from the Federal Government of Nigeria for the IMC to operate in the interim until the battered image of the NPFL, which is already tainted with several dubious transactions and pending litigations are properly cleaned up.

Jalla further charged the Sports Minister to set up an independent panel or committee of enquiry into the activities of the LMC from its inception, particularly as it concerns public funds received by way of sponsorships for the development of football in Nigeria.

He concluded, “The PFAN Task Force appreciates the bold and pragmatic step by the Hon. Minister to jump-start the needed reforms in our domestic football by sacking the LMC.”