Electoral appeals C’tee rubbishes Ajunwa’s claims

By Albert Akota

Members of the NFF 2014 Electoral Committee yesterday dismissed a report presented to some journalists by the chairman of the committee, Barr. Okey Ajunwa, as a mere minority report that is of no consequence – and therefore null and void.

Speaking in Abuja, the members lampooned Okey Ajunwa and stated that they are merely holding back from revealing the much they know about how he has, unfortunately, conducted himself since he was appointed to head the committee.

“Barr. Ajunwa failed in several aspects in this assignment. He failed to invoke the meeting of the Electoral Appeals Committee and it was when time had ran out on the appeals that he woke up suddenly to call for a hearing,” the members said.

Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation has accepted in its entirety, the decision of the NFF 2014 Electoral Appeals Committee as conveyed to the NFF General Secretary, Barr. Musa Amadu, after the Committee’s meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, 3rd December, 2014.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday, Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande praised the members of the committee for a thorough job, and opined that the dissension of the chairman of the committee with a small area of the appeals was of no effect.

“It is a committee that was put in place, and the principle of committees is known all over the world.

 The chairman of a committee has a casting vote; when there is a tie among the members. In this case, all the other members voted to uphold the NFF 2014 Elective Congress in its entirety, and that made the chairman’s dissenting voice to be meaningless.

“The NFF Executive Committee had the power to stop the NFF 2014 Electoral Appeals Committee from hearing the appeals, because the Electoral Code was clear on timing.

The appeals must have been submitted within 14 days after the election, and the hearing must have been done 14 days after the appeals. Everything was supposed to have been concluded, in this case, by 24th October 2014, as the last appeal was presented on 10th October, but the first sitting of the committee took place on 29th October.”

Yahaya-Kwande, who is a Member of the House of Representatives, said the magnanimity of the NFF Executive Committee in allowing the committee to sit, deserves praise.

“Instead of the entire process of appeals and hearing to be concluded by the end of October, we had a situation in which the Electoral Appeals Committee held its first sitting on 29th October.

“There is not much to be said about the decisions other than to commend the members and accept it in its entirety.

The NFF Executive Committee takes this whole thing in good faith and we can now properly set out on putting plans and processes in place to accomplish our vision of taking Nigeria football to heights never before attained.”

The NFF 2014 Electoral Committee issued a press statement on Wednesday night conveying its decision to uphold the NFF 2014 Elective Congress in its entirety.

NFF General Secretary, Barr. Musa Amadu has already conveyed the Committee members’ report to the Minister/Chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo through the office of the Director General, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, world football governing body FIFA and the continental body, CAF.