LAGOS – Stakeholders in football have commended the recent judgment of the Supreme Court that proscribed the organizers of Nigeria’s domestic League, League Management Company.
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Sports also last week advised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to uphold the verdict of the apex court in the country by withdrawing the license of the LMC and set up an Interim Management Committee for the running of the domestic league.
In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Ismaila Abubakar, the sports ministry also stated that the FG would no longer recognize the LMC in the operations of football in the country.
A former international, Chief Segun Odegbami, at the weekend stated that the LMC and the NFF were illegal and not in the Nigerian laws.
“I have asked this question many months ago about the legality of the NFF and the LMC. Both are nowhere in our books and so I was not surprised about the judgment and also the position of the ministry of sports on the issue,” he said.
The Chairman of the Task Force for the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria, Harrisson Jalla, commended the ministry of sports for advising the NFF to uphold the verdict of the Supreme Court.
“The Ministry of Sports has done Nigeria domestic League a great favour by declaring illegal the LMC. The LMC should show Football stakeholders and Nigerians the assets it is leaving behind for the Interim Management Committee after 9 years of managing the NPFL,” he said.
