Stakeholders kick over NFF’s Electoral Committees

The appointment of the officers of the NFF Electoral Committee and the NFF Election Appeals Committee 2022 after last week’s Annual General Assembly (AGA) in Lagos is generating controversy among stakeholders.

In a communiqué at the end of the AGA, Aikhunegire Anthony Malik was named as the Chairman of the NFF Electoral Committee while Barrister Gandi Umar, will Chair the Election Appeals Committee.

Others to serve in the NFF Electoral Committee 2022 include Justice Abdulkadir Zakariyya (Vice Chairman); Babatunde Ogala – SAN (Member); Daha Umar Daura – Danburam (Member); Gambo Mamman (Member). Alternate Members: Barrister Ifeanyi Dike and Barr. Ransom Ariyo

For the NFF Election Appeals Committee 2022, others listed to serve to include Barrister Ayo Akindele – SAN (Vice Chairman); Rev. Obioma Onyeaghala (Member) and both Barrister Chive Kaave and Barrister Idi Halidu Ali will serve as alternate members.

Though both committees were ratified by the congress, there are now concerns over the manner the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen were selected by few board members of the NFF as they were neither presented to the Congress at the AGA, agreed nor inaugurated and allowed to choose from among themselves as stated in the NFF Electoral Code.

“One of the biggest problems with the NFF under the current leadership is a dictatorship and lack of respect for others,” explained a concerned stakeholder.”

“For a matter as weighty as the composition of both the electoral committee and election appeals committee not to be done in accordance with its own laws, is evidence of how the affairs of the NFF had been conducted in recent years.

“The story flying around is that some of these electoral committee and election appeals committee members have personal ties with those that selected them which is most unfortunate. We must be concerned as to whether they will be given the latitude to work independently,” he added.

In a related development, it was also learnt at the weekend that South East Football Zone are not happy that none of their kinsmen was given a top role in both the electoral committee and election appeals committee.

Members of the forum are kicking that the persons selected from the zone were given the opportunity to be voted for by members of the Committees.

“You can see the handwriting on the wall and the direction they want the election to go because how do you explain that nobody from the South East is good enough to be in a substantive position in either the election appeals committee or the electoral committee, and also disenfranchised from being voted for by the Committee members as prescribed by the Electoral Code,” said a concerned FA Chairman in the South East Zonal Forum.”

“We wonder why a Chairman who was hastily and surreptitiously appointed and whose committee has not even been inaugurated should go to the press within hours of being announced.

“This electoral body should know that all eyes are now on them in the conduct of this forthcoming NFF elections.”