From ROMANUS UGWU, Abuja
The last may not have been heard about the 25-year cumulative ban the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) clamped on the former board members of the federation, as the National Assembly may summon the Glass House after faulting the composition of the panel and the magnitude of the ban.
Addressing newsmen over the issue in Abuja, the chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Hon Godfrey Ali Gaiya, argued that the federation was not fair in pronouncing the judgment, just as he faulted the exclusion of the National Assembly in the whole saga.
“From the much I have read since the federation did not deem it necessary to communicate the National Assembly with the necessary information over such weighty issue like the ban, even when there was an issue of such, NFF should not have handled it the way they did.
“I’m concerned about the procedure for doing things. In the case of one of the victims, I understood that there was a petition involving NFF as an interest party but the federation appointed with themselves members of the committee with executive board members as the chairmen to investigate a matter, which has direct interest with NFF.
“I have always advocated for the neutrality for any kind of an investigative hearing. I have always canvassed for fairness where the person appearing before a panel would believe he would get justice and I always frown at a panel where such assumption is in doubt.”
“I can boldly say that the panel I saw and the prayers of the petitioners don’t suggest that the panel should have been constituted. Very neutral people that can call both the NFF as witness and the petitioner to testify should have done the investigation,” he noted.
In law, one tenet of a legal free system is not only to be fair but seen to be fair. Most of us did not see it as being fair even though we may be wrong.
“Looking at the gravity and period of sentences, for God’s sake, I have tried to look into the statute and it was obvious that 15 years and 10 years cannot be the right judgment. Even if the federation succeeded in establishing a wrong against them, the punishment ought not to be as grievous as the federation meted to them.
“Don’t forget that those involved are still stakeholders who still have much to contribute to the system. However, the National Assembly have not said anything not because we are afraid of saying it, but because we felt that the federation ought to intimate us about whatever findings, knowing that we have supervisory function over them.
“We should be informed because we have the right to know. It is not a case of whether the federation deciding whether to inform us or not. Since it has to do with football stakeholders to which the National Assembly are principal partners in the matter, we deserve to know before any decision could be taken on such a weighty issue.
“The federation should not forget that we waded into their problem of legitimacy because we knew that somebody was trying to trample on their rights. We came to their rescue when there was clamour for the federation to be disbanded or dismissed or impeached. But as far as this matter is concerned, we have been unfortunately sidelined and we don’t know much about it. We will look into the possibility of inviting them over the issue,” he added.
The post Ogunjobi/Baribote: NASS declares war on NFF appeared first on The Sun News.
Follow us on Twitter: @NewsFetchers
Like our Facebook page: NewsFetchers
No comments
Post a Comment