By Mark Baber
November 14 – There were major developments in the Nigerian football governance crisis on Thursday as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Appeals Committee completed its hearings into the validity of the September 30 Executive Committee elections whilst the Nigerian government passed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Bill 2014 in an apparent attempt to bring sanity to football administration in the country.
Earlier in the week the NFF Appeals Committee heard three separate petitions arguing the September elections, which brought Amaju Pinnick and a new Executive Committee to power, should be rerun.
The petitioners argued that the NFF’s own regulations were broken on almost every count in the elections process and presented video and other evidence to prove their points which they claimed included the unlawful exclusion of candidates, the absence of representatives from the West African Football Union, CAF and FIFA, the unlawful holding of the election in Pinnick’s home base of Warri, the breaking of the rules on how many candidates could stand from each state, and the fact two non-members of the football family were allowed to vote.
On Thursday, in reply, Pinnick and his barristers argued that one of the petitioners hadn’t stood as president, so had no standing to challenge the result. They argued another of the petitioners did not have the right to appeal, as he had stood in the elections and lost. They also argued that the petitions were out of time, an argument which the petitioners argued was ridiculous as the petitions had been presented within the stipulated time limits, but the NFF had failed to activate a sitting of the Appeals Committee to hear them.
Whilst the Appeals Committee is now considering its verdict, the Nigerian Senate passed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Bill 2014 which ostensibly aims to try and bring sanity to the affairs of the Nigerian Football Federation.
As the Bill passed its third reading, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu said: “I will like to thank all of us for this milestone. I believe that this helps the development of our football and the entire crisis we’ve had in the past, I believe that this will bring it to an end.
“There is now seemn to be a law that will help to create some sanity in the administration of football and I believe this brings to an end, all confusions and dispute that has tried in the past to mar football administration in Nigeria.
“I like to congratulate all of us and I do hope that our football administrators will take full advantage of this law to ensure that we advance our football to world standard.
“So once more, congratulations to all Nigerians and all football lovers across the world.”
The Bill, if signed into law by President Jonathan, would reportedly provide Nigerian football administrators with more autonomy and prevent football issues from being taken to civil courts. The Bill reportedly includes provisions meaning those who are bankrupt or who are convicted of dishonesty will not be able to serve on the NFF Executive Committee.
Whether giving Nigeria’s feuding football administrators more power and removing the restraining influence of civil law on their actions will do anything to improve football governance remains to be seen. If enacted, however, it appears the new legislation may forestall Chris Giwa and his faction, who sat out the September 30 election having obtained a High Court order preventing it going ahead, from reviving their court action inviting new FIFA threats to exclude Nigeria from international competition.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734875775labto1734875775ofdlr1734875775owedi1734875775sni@r1734875775ebab.1734875775kram1734875775