The Nigerian Professional Football League has run into murky waters as club owners have denounced the league’s Interim Management Committee.
The club owners, who met on Sunday in Abuja, said they were dissatisfied with several issues as it relates to the IMC, headed by Hon. Nduka Irabor.
Among their grievances, the club owners and managers said, was the formation of a League Management Company Limited without their input.
They also said they were not comfortable with some of the pronouncements of Irabor.
The resolution of the emergency meeting reads in full:
RESOLUTIONS AT THE END OF AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS CHAIRMEN AND MANAGERS HELD ON SUNDAY, APRIL 07, 2013 AT LAMONDE HOTEL, GARKI, ABUJA
PREAMBLE: Chairman and managers of the 2012/2013 Premier League Clubs have observed with great concern, regret and total disbelief, the activities and powers of the Hon. Nduka Irabor-led Interim Management Committee (IMC) arrogated to itself in total disregard of the NPL statutes. Some of the activities include but are not limited to:
The illegal registration and formation of a private limited liability company called League Management Company Ltd (LMC) on behalf of the twenty (20) Premier League Clubs without the consent, resolution and approval of the congress of the twenty (20) club chairmen.
The unguarded comments and the utterances of the IMC chairman, Hon Nduka Irabor, on the persons of the club chairmen and managers without recourse to the basic principles of master/servant relationship.
The way and manner the staff of the NPL are being treated with ignominy by the Hon. Nduka Irabor led League Management Company thereby affecting the morale and attitude of staff to work, which is also capable of affecting the smooth running of the league.
The recent arbitrary auctioning of some assets of the NPL contained in the NPL Guest House in Zone 2, Abuja without the consent and approval of the congress.
We also observed that Messers Mike Idoko and Sabo Babayaro who are representatives of the clubs in the IMC are being sidelined in the skim (sic) of affairs thereby creating a communication gap with the clubs.
2. NOTE
In view of the above, the chairmen and managers hereby note as follows:
i. That the Interim Management Committee (IMC) or the so called League management Company (LMC) has no morale and/or legal right to form or register a company for the Nigeria Premier League for and on behalf of the twenty (20) Premier League Clubs without their consent, resolution and approval.
ii. That the IMC or LMC cannot enter into any contractual obligations on behalf of the Premier League clubs without due consultation, consent and approval of the congress.
iii. That the IMC cannot terminate and/or alter existing contracts entered into before the constitution and inauguration of the said IMC or formation of LMC without the approval of congress.
iv. That apart from the statutes of the NPL, the autonomy, obligations and powers of the clubs are also expressly spelt out in FIFA letter of 14/12/2004 to the NFA on the Nigeria Football League and FIFA letter of 2/11/2009 to the NPL specifically page 2 article 10 paragraph 4, page 3 article 5 and page 4 article 7 which provide as follows:
That the NPL chairman and members of the NPL governing body have to be elected by the NPL clubs only. While the NPL Secretary is appointed by the NPL Governing Board.
Organizations of the members of the NFF (including the league) should organize themselves without any external entity including the NFF for the sake of good order.
The NFF statutes cannot interfere in the organizations of the other entities including its members.
v. Even though the Hon. Justice D.U. Okorowo’s judgement declared the NFF and NPL as illegal bodies, the two organs are still legally and technically existing, since the NPL has not been legally wound up by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in view of the pending appeal and particularly the application for stay of execution. The club chairmen and managers are well aware of the position of the law on principles guiding the situation.
vi. The unguarded comments and utterances of the chairman of IMC Hon. Nduka Irabor on the persons of the club chairmen and managers is categorically unacceptable.
vii. That the way and manner the staff of the NPL are being treated with disrespect and disregard by the Hon. Nduka Irabor led “LMC” is totally unacceptable.
3. RESOLUTIONS
Consequent upon the aforementioned, we hereby:
Vehemently dissociate ourselves and clubs from the so called registration and formation of a new company called LEAGUE MANAGEMENT COMPANY as the Company does not represent us and the league.
That any person or persons doing business with the LMC on behalf of the club chairmen and managers is doing so at his or her own peril.
We are to take legal steps to notify CAC of the development accordingly;
Dissociate ourselves and clubs from all the contract agreements entered into by IMC or LMC for and on behalf of the clubs without the consent and approval of the congress.
We however, associate ourselves and clubs with all existing contractual obligations entered into with the authority of the congress before the composition and inauguration of the IMC.
We further associate ourselves with the inaugural address of the NFF president, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, particularly the terms of reference an his directives that the IMC should inter-alia organize the 2012/2013 league and put machinery in motion for election. The IMC is therefore advised to abide strictly to the terms of reference of the Committee. Any deviation is unacceptable.
The chairman of the IMC Hon. Nduka Irabor is urged to treat the club chairmen and managers as well as staff of the NPL with respect to ensuring a cordial working relationship between parties to forestall any likely friction arising there from.
We also demand that an emergency congress be called on/before two weeks from this day (today).
The clubs also demand for an immediate payment of the 5-month salary arrears owed the staff of the league secretariat.
We however commend and appreciate all our sponsors, mostly especially telecommunication giant Globacom for their support, contribution and interest to sponsor the league, just as we thank the Hon. Minister/Chairman NSC and the NFF for their usual understanding.
The communique drafting committee was made up of Barrister Isaac Danladi (Nasarawa Utd FC), as Chairman, and Dunbor Awanem (Dolphins FC), Farouk Yarma (Gombe Utd FC) and Alloy Chukwuemeka (ABSFC) as members.
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