PFAN Boss Slams LMC Over Kick Against Supreme Court Judgement

The chairman of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), Harrisson Jalla, has slammed the defunct League management Company for challenging the Supreme Court ruling and also the office of the Minister of Sports.

In a press release on Tuesday, the LMC kicked over the directives by the Ministry of Sports to the Nigeria Football Federation to withdraw its license for the running of the Nigeria Professional Football League, saying there is no court order against its existence as claimed by the apex sports body.

The ministry had last week declared the league body illegal and asked the NFF to withdraw its licence, a development that has sparked off intense reactions.

“The LMC board also expressed distress at seeing the FYMSD come up with the public statement/position without first engaging the LMC/NFF to discuss any concerns or information regarding the LMC Ltd to hear from the other side and enable it to come to a balanced position,” the statement read.

Jalla noted that it was insolence to challenge the courts and the office of the minister of Sports representing the Federal Government, adding that there were many questions begging for answers.

He asked: “Who are the promoters of the League management Company (LMC) to challenge the Authority of the office of the Hon. Minister of Sports and Youth Development? Who conferred the Authority on the LMC to perpetually run the NPFL? Is it the conscripted lame duck NFF Congress? Or same conscripted officials of the NPFL Clubs?  Where or which section of the 2010 NFF Statute as Amended gave the LMC Authority to run the NPFL after Former Sports Minister Hon. Bolaji Abdulahi dissolved an elected NPL Board?

“The tacit dissolution of the LMC by the Minister representing the Federal Government is correct because he is invested constitutionally with the powers to do it but has tactically asked the NFA to deal with it as a directive from his office. The NFA working under the aegis NFF is a parastatal under the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development. The HM exercises oversight function and supervision.

“The only reason for promoters of the LMC to have challenged the Authority of the Hon. Minister is still walking the streets as free men. In saner climes, they would have been made to face the law.”