Contestant protests composition of FA Electoral Committee in Nasarawa

Ibrahim Shigafarta, a contestant in the upcoming Football Association elections in Nasarawa state, on Sunday kicked against the composition of the electoral committee constituted by the state FA.
Shigafarta, in a protest letter released to newsmen in Lafia, claimed that the membership of Abdulhamid Babanrabi in the electoral committee is “a gross violation of fairness, justice and due process in the electoral process”.
He said this was because Babanrabi is also currently the Secretary of the Nasarawa State FA.
“This makes it difficult to not see him as unbiased, or trust his actions in the electoral process,” Shigafarta who is vying for a membership position said.
He said: “Babanrabi was appointed as Secretary of both the FA and Electoral Committee by the current FA chairman, Muhammed Alkali who is also contesting in the elections.
“This fact makes it extremely difficult to believe that the process will not be swayed to favour the incumbent chairman and his supporters.
“There is no justification in Babanrabi’s membership of the Electoral Committee because he is currently the Secretary of the FA, a position he was appointed into by Muhammed Alkali who is also a contestant.
“As such, it is not possible for Babanrabi to be a judge in his court.
“Lastly, there’s also the need to avail the contestants with the list of delegates to enable us campaign for votes at least one month before the elections.”
The contestant however expressed the hope and also prayed that there would be a free, fair and credible FA elections.
In a reaction, Alkali said Babanrabi was appointed as a member and secretary of the Electoral Committee because that was how it was stipulated by the Nigeria Football Federation Statutes.
He said: “All over Nigeria and all over the world, it is the Secretary of the Football Federation or the Secretary of the FA that is the Secretary of the electoral body and Babanrabi is the Secretary of the FA in Nasarawa State.
“So, by status quo, he is the Secretary of the Electoral Committee. It is there in the statutes.
“Let me cite an example. When we held the elections in 2015, it was the same Secretary of the FA that was the Secretary of the Electoral Committee then.
“I just feel that they (those complaining) are ignorant of the guidelines and rules. If they are active in the system, they won’t be asking this question.”
Alkali then advised Shigafarta to complain to the NFF leadership, if he was dissatisfied with the composition of the Electoral Committee, for the issue to be looked into.
He added: “He should go to the NFF to lay his complaints, since he does not know what the status quo is. He really has to be careful with his accusations.”