N244 broadcast fund: NANPF takes over from NANF

Kano Pillars...are these issues in the best interest of the players?

*Pay players’ debt from funds recovered

*EFCC may face law suit for acting as debt recovery agency

Nigerians will recall that the controversial N244million that National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF) dragged the Total Promotion Nigeria Limited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) being broadcast rights monies belonging to the Nigeria Football League Limited (NFLL) has taken a new dimension.

Sources disclosed that the EFCC was reputed to have released the bank draft that Total Promotion was forced to issue to the defunct NFLL team headed by Chief Victor Rumson Baribote and Tunji Babalola who respectively have paid it into a Zenith Bank account.

With a press statement signed by the rival players’ union, the National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (NANPF) said she “has deepened its communication further with the clubs indebted to players and coaches following monies recovered recently by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for the clubs under the Nigeria Premier league (NPL) as Broadcast rights from Total Promotion.

“Following the advice of the leadership of the Nigeria Professional Football league Clubs Owners Association, whom the Players Union had earlier contacted,  the Union has communicated to all the concerned clubs on the need and for the sake of justice and fair play to ensue payment of their debts to the affected players and coaches from their share of the money as contained in the Nigeria Football Federation Players status and arbitration committee decisions and others authenticated by details of the contract of the players and coaches as attached.

With this statement, it is clear that NANF having gotten the fund, NANPF determines its spending. The Shola Popo led NANPF reminded the clubs that “since their complaints in the past was lack of funds to meet their contractual obligations to the players and coaches and further still comply with arbitration committee decisions, now that they will be getting their shares from the broadcast rights monies recovered by the EFCC which is generated from the collective image rights of the players and coaches, we strongly advise that part of the recovered money, if not all, should be used to settle the debts owed the players and coaches and avoid  the temptation of diverting such to individuals pockets.”

Sources disclosed to www.gongnews.net that certain debts had been computed by interested parties to share the said monies. However, alternative sources added that the NFLL Board led by Dr Sam Sam Jaja had intercepted the attempts to illegally withdraw the money which is hooked inside the ledges of the bank since those who made the initial attempts are no more in office and statutorily cannot access such funds again.

Third party sources also told www.gongnews.net that the EFCC having acted as debt recovery agency despite the fact that the matter is before a court of law may be facing new legal issues on the matter. This is because NANF which initiated the petition is not a party to the contract with the broadcast firm, Total Promotion.