Fixtures of
the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) will continue to hold as
scheduled, according to a statement by the League Management Company (LMC)
released on Friday. The LMC said
it was among several other grounds, relying on the motion filed for stay of
execution of Mr. Justice I.I Kunda's latest order made in disregard of the
notice of appeal filed against his first order.
The League
body also stated in addition to the stay of execution filed, it has also filed
a notice of appeal against the order of the Plateau State High Court, Jos
stopping matches of the NPFL until full compliance with the earlier interim
order of the Court directing the reinstatement of Giwa FC to the League and
rescheduling of matches for the club.
It also
raised the question on how the Judge
found an urgency in fact as required by law to make the first interim
order ex-parte three months after Giwa FC was expelled from the League under
the League Rules, for failing to play three consecutive matches.
Mr. Justice
I.I. Kunda, the vacation judge of the Plateau State High Court, Jos division
made the earlier order in a fundamental human right suit filed by an
individual, a certain Mustapha Abubakar, who claims to be acting for himself
and Giwa FC. Mustapha claims that the expulsion of Giwa FC had denied him the
right to enjoy matches of the club after he bought season's ticket. The said
tickets were found to have been purchased even when the club was yet to be
registered to participate in the NPFL season, thereby violating provisions
governing the league.
But the
LMC's position also is that the narrow and singular interest of the said
Abubakar cannot override that of millions of fans of the other 19 NPFL Clubs,
corporate partners of the League, the players and myriad other interests that
are attached directly and tangential to the League.
"We
cannot accept that these multifarious and incalculable interests can be held to
ransom and subjected to the whim of an individual with no connection,
whatsoever, with the operation of the League", the LMC continued on why
the league cannot be stopped.
The LMC said that this decision to continue
with the fixtures is part of some urgent steps to preserve the integrity of the
NPFL and protect it from irreparable damage.
The League
body expressed surprise that the Judge will make the orders even after it has
been brought to the court’s notice through a written affidavit that Giwa FC has
written the LMC stating categorically that it never mandated the plaintiff or
anybody to sue on its behalf.
It
continued, “This letter from Giwa FC is a restatement of the written undertaken
of the club to abide by the rules and regulations governing the league and
football in general and, not to take football matters to the ordinary
court”.
‘By the
written undertaking, the Club states that it should be considered that it has
voluntarily withdrawn from the League and organised football activities if it
takes any football matter to the courts for adjudication, rather than the
internal dispute resolution mechanisms provided by the Rules, including the
right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).
From a
business and commercial standpoint, the League body drew attention to several
written and informal contracts on which the league is built and that these
contracts bind several interests and interrelationships that make for smooth
operation of the league.
It went on
to cite the return of NPFL fixtures to the Maiduguri Township Stadium, home of
El-Kanemi Warriors as a critical positive contribution of the league in
demonstrating that the Federal Government has achieved huge success in
containing the Boko Haram insurgency which ravished most of North Eastern
Nigeria since 2012.
The LMC
therefore assured the public that it will remain resolute in ensuring that
NPFL, the flagship of Nigeria football, is operated and managed in accordance
with the Framework and Rules of the League and other football governing rules.
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