NFF-NFA latest: Ekeji must go campaign launched

*Efforts to use Sambawa failed

*Court case option relied on

*Genesis of crisis unveiled

 
With the suit against the Inspector General of Police by the eleven friends who serve on the board of the NFF dying before being born given that the platform that gives them the jurisdiction to sue was divorced from the suit, they had devised some other insiduous moves that also failed before take-off.
 
SAMAILA SAMBAWA:

Dr Sambawa...tactical withdrawal?

They were to employ the services of a former minister of sports, Alhaji Samaila Sambawa, to blackmail the Director General of the National Sports Commission, (NSC) Patrick Ekeji, before President Goodluck Jonathan over the current crisis. The Aminu Maigari team had decided to get the DG sacked. They had accused him of backing the Jarrett Tenebe led Nigeria Football Association, (NFA).

Last Friday, some sponsored sports writers were sent on a mission to the Abuja residence of the former minister to beg him to convey their message that Ekeji is the problem of Nigerian football to the President and lobby the President on their behalf to remove the DG from the NSC.
 
EKEJI MUST GO:

The campaign script was that he had a fake letter extending his tenure after he was due to have retired last March having spent 37 years, clocked 60 years and stayed for 10 years as director thus, meeting all the requirements for retirement. They had written, some months ago, a petition to the President against Ekeji which did not hold water. Two members of the outgone 6th legislature were to supply them some papers with which the DG was allegedly indicted to be used to be sent packing.  

Ekeji...campaign to sack him on

Our impeccable source disclosed that the funders of the new move including the "Fantastic Four" currently facing EFCC trial for various issues relating to football mismanagement. They see their current ordeal as caused by the DG who must go down. They teamed up with those in the present board to unleash the "Ekeji must go" with the sports journalists enjoying immediate financial reward and promised various foreign trips with the national teams if the plan works out.
The calculation was since Sambawa is believed has the influence in the ruling People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) due to the role he played during the 2011 Goodluck/Sambo campaign he would be able to convince the President to do their bidding.
The former minister having understood the terrain and the slippery nature in sports politely said he was travelling but asked them to repeat their visit on Tuesday (tomorrow).
 
GENESIS OF CRISIS:

It would be recalled that Ekeji saved the immediate sacking of the Maigari-led board following the Presidential instruction given to the Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim to enforce the Federal High Court, Lagos Orders that nullified the election on 6th September, 2010.
The same Ekeji was touted in the mills during the weekend to have "settled"
(euphemism for bribe) the IGP). With that not working, what will be the next plot? Who will be weaved in next to help a non juristic NFF survive the imminent end to bad rubbish?

This whole crisis had root in Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Lagos who issued an Order nullifying the NFF elections of 26th August, 2010 which brought the present board to office on the ground of an earlier court order that the election should not hold.
The court order served on the outgoing NFF president, Aminu Maigari, was spurned. The election held which brought the same Maigari on board. Rather than vacate the Court Orders in a higher court, some stakeholders led by then FIFA Executive member, Dr Amos Adamu, caused an out of court settlement. With the terms of that settlement not followed, a dissatisfied National Association of Nigerian Footballers, (NANF) that initiated the suit, returned to re-list the matter.

The relisting was struck out by the court. An appeal has been filed. While that is on, they had sought for the enforcement of the initial Court Orders. Meanwhile, human rights activist, Jiti Ogunye, filed a separate suit seeking the protection of the court whose orders were not carried out despite the out of court settlement. A court is still hearing that matter.
The case for enforcement which was sent to the President, whose government's mantra is "Rule of Law" directed the IGP to ensure the enforcement a fortnight ago pending the order of a superior court order. Upon this directive, the IGP invited the NFF board members where Ekeji pleaded for a week to find workable solution with the IGP. Feuding parties did not agree. When the one week expired, he pleaded for an extension till the 14th June.
While this was going on, the eleven friends of football who are serving in the NFF went to court against the IGP. They sued without the NFF in tow!