By Francis Sadhere, Warri
Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN) during the weekend said there was no going back on the fight for the amendment of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) status 2010.
Mr Harrison Jala, Chairman and Facilitator of the Project 2022 Task Force, an offshoot of PFAN, made this statement at a press briefing held in Warri, Delta State.
Recall that the Project 2022 Task Force, had on the 26th of June 2021 in Warri Delta State handed down a 90-day ultimatum to the NFF chairman, Mr Amaju Pinnick, demanding the amendment of the NFF status 2010 in composition of it’s Congress, Executive Committee and voting rights.
But Jala told news men that the task force, having exhausted all avenues of due process as enshrined in the various provisions of FIFA, CAF, NFF and the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is now left with no option than to commence the process of getting justice from the appropriate institutions/authorities.
He said the Task Force members have also agreed to rely on the status of its members as major Stakeholders in the industry to press home these demands.
He added that their agitation was not to witch hunt anybody but to ensure that football is revived in Nigeria.
“We are here to let you journalists know that we have exhausted all the opportunities to get the attention of the relevant bodies and we are now moving forward to ensure that we get justice through the appropriate quarters.
“We have said it severally that the composition of the Congress of the general assembly of the Nigerian Football Federation has 44 members and one body, the State Football Association, has 37 members while the most important body that makes football work has only one vote and we are saying this is unacceptable. The coaches have one vote and the League has one vote and the referees have one vote. This is not going to work.
“We will continue to speak until our voice is heard and something is done. We must get a redress.
“The rules must be amended to reflect equal representation. We stand by that and we are going to do everything possible within the ambit of the law to reflect that,” Jala said.
Former 2nd Vice President of NFF, Chief Rumson Baribote, who read the press statement signed by Mr Harrison Jala and Mr Edema Fuludu, Chairman and Secretary PFAN Task Force respectively, alleged that the NFF President has ignored all attempt to sit at a round table to discuss the way forward because of his third term ambition.
“The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) under the leadership of its President Amaju Pinnick has failed to acknowledge/respond to the letter of demand of the Task Force at the expiration of the mandatory 90 days notice. It is important also to mention here that a further 14 days grace period/reminder was given to the NFF to effect the relevant amendments yet it was not complied with.
‘That within the aforementioned period the NFF hurriedly called for an illegal extraordinary Congress in violation of the 30 days mandatory notice as contained in Article 29 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) of the NFF Statutes which the PFAN excused itself from attending because of the non compliance with the NFF statutes of 2021.
“That 4 Statutes Amendment Committee was hurriedly and illegally constituted by the NFF during the illegal extraordinary Congress to look into possible areas of amendment of the NFP Statutes without recourse to the relevant provisions of how to effect amendments to the 2010 NFF statutes as amended.
“That in an attempt to distract and scuttle the effort of the Task Force, the president of the NFF Amaju Pinnick decided to promote and sponsor a supposed group known as All Nigeria Players Union (ANPU) headed by his Senior Special Assistant Mr. Chikelue Ileoyosi and some staffs of the NFF to drive his third term ambition as president of the NFF. However, in furtherance of the above the PFAN executives have timeously activated the appropriate committees to deal with the issue,” Baribote stated.
