Anambra FA: NFF wades in, upholds Chikelue’s protest

By George Aluo

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has again stepped into the Anambra FA crisis upholding a protest filed by Chikelue Iloenyosi.

Iloenyosi had in a petition against the Anambra FA scribe, Chijioke Onyedika faulted the decision of the FA to hold an emergency congress.

The Anambra FA had during the emergency congress decided to annul the appeal committee verdict ordering election into the yet to be filled chairmanship position in two weeks.

Iloenyosi had insisted that the emergency congress was an illegal one aimed at scuttling his chairmanship ambition.

The NFF in a letter to Anambra FA on Monday stated that the Anambra FA scribe Onyedika has no powers to call the November 30 congress declaring that it is not in line with NFF statutes.

The letter which emanated from the legal department of the NFF Glass House stated in part…”the secretary of the FA cannot exercise the powers of the chairman to convene an extraordinary General Assembly since the board is yet to be duly constituted. The decisions arrived at the extra ordinary general assembly held on 30th November 2020 are null and void.”

The letter stressed that the decision of the Anambra FA appeal committee must be respected since the judgement of the committee is final.

“This is a re-enforcement of the provision of the NFF Electoral Code 2009 to the effect that the decision of the Election Appeals Committee is final.”

As it stands, Chikelue Iloenyosi looks good to claim the mandate which was denied him on October 30 when the issue of simple majority came up.

The appeal committee has since ruled that they did not order for a fresh election but for second balloting where the simple majority rule will now be applied as provided in article 26(2) of NFF statutes.

“This is law in action,” the appeal committee stated.