Nigeria On Standstill As Minister Of Sports Decides Fate of Nigeria Football Tuesday

 

Nigeria On Standstill As Minister Of Sports Decides Fate of Nigeria Football Tuesday

By Niyi Busari Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare will have his integrity to protect when his comes out on Tuesday to say his verdict on the Anambra Football Association election brouhaha. Anambra FA Electoral Committee had on August 2nd announced Senator Ifeanyi Ubah as winner of the election which was conducted virtually. Few days later, the Nigeria Football Federation annulled the election and set up Caretaker Committee. Senator Ifeanyi Ubah who comes out to talk about the Election for the first time since August 2nd had written to the ministry of sports to come and save Nigeria football and also stated that he has all it takes to nail NFF in the matter they have no jurisdiction about. The minister invited both parties to a meeting in his stadium office to hear their views. When the meeting commenced, Anambra State FA Chairman, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah painstakingly reeled out steps taken by the FA Electoral Committee in overseeing the election. This include but not limited to getting a go-ahead approval from the National NCDC signed by its Director General, Chikwe Ihekweazu. To buttress his point, he cited a letter where the NFF confirmed that setting up a Caretaker Committee is against the FIFA, CAF, NFF and Katsina State FA statutes, the letter written by the NFF on 17th April, 2019 with Ref No: NFF/GEN/385/1/14 Titled; Re: Dissolution of Katsina State Appointment of Caretaker Committee By Congress. On page 1, paragraph 2, reads in parts, "That FIFA, CAF, NFF and Katsina state FA statutes do not contemplate or provide for Caretaker Committee. Meanwhile, same NFF turned back and set up a Caretaker Committee in Anambra FA Election. When confronted with facts, the leader of NFF delegation, Shehu Gusau who was caught in the web, first showed his lack of composure when he failed to present the NFF defense statement before the panel. He also failed to convince and defend the federation's statute. Senator Ifeanyi Ubah also stated that the election is an internal matter and all internal mechanism should be exhausted before NFF could be invited t come in. NFF, however, in its defense relied on a complainant letter written by the former Secretary of the FA on August 3, a day after the state Election, stating that he is no longer the state FA. In its response letter to the former Secretary of Anambra State FA, NFF set up Caretaker Committee on the same day without recourse to the Electoral Committee and the state FA Board members. The action which contravene its statute which is clearly in Article 18 Sub 2 of the NFF which clearly stated that "All affiliates are Independent to take any decision on any matter regarding their membership independently of any external body." After the 3 hours meeting, the minister of sports has chosen to give his verdict on the matter on Tuesday, 12th October, 2020. The decision Nigerian are eagerly waiting for.