Sports
NFL’s Interim Board Illegal – Baribote
The embattled former Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), Rumson Baribote, has described the inauguration of the interim board of the NPL as illegal.
Baribote told newsmen Monday in Lagos that the December 5 congress that removed him from office was null and void.
The former NPL chair was sacked by a unanimous decision of 18 of the 20 club owners at a congress held in Abuja. The club owners cited misappropriation of funds and the autocratic nature of the chairman as reasons for their action.
“As far as am concerned there is nothing as interim committee because there is an elected board of the NPL led by Chief Rumson Victor Baribote; and as I speak with you the matter is before court for interpretation. “Whatever they have done the court will help to interpret that; until the court interprets the status of NPL and says okay that the board is done, then I can start commenting about it,” he said.
When asked if the litigations on the NPL would not continue to bug down progress of the league, Baribote had this to say: “That question is supposed to be answered by the honourable minister and Maigari himself. “The name I have today I built over the years and somebody cannot just come one day and make nonsense of that name and expect me to go and sleep.
“I don’t think anybody loves Nigeria Premier League more than I do because apart from Bukola Saraki, I also own a club in the premier league. “So if anybody should talk about premier league, it should be me and Bukola; the rest are owned by government. “So I don’t think anybody who is pretending to love the premier league would love that premier league more than myself because I am part of the premier league,” he stated.
Reacting, to Baribote’s outburst, Head of Media of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ademola Olajire, said there was nothing illegal about the inauguration of the interim committee. “There is nothing illegal about the committee.
The management has been inaugurated at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja. It is fait accompli. “So, whatever anybody is saying now does not hold water, so it’s a personal opinion. It does not hold water anywhere.
“There is freedom of speech, as far as we are concerned the committee is a fait accompli and has been sworn in and had already started work.” The committee is headed by Nduka Irabor with Tunji Babalola as Secretary and Nwankwo Kanu, Mike Enahoro, Shehu Dikko and Modele Sarafa-Yusuf as members. Other members include Abubakar Nuhu Dan-Burau, Kunle Elebute, Mike Idoko, Salisu Abubakar, Sabo Babayaro, Seyi Akinwunmi, and Ifeanyi Dike.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.