Ayodele Thomas charges NSC on transparent NFF election
..Canvasses two tenures for elected board members
As Nigerians continue to await the direction the country’s football will take following the recent resignation of the NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau and all his board members, a critical stakeholder in Nigerian football, Ayodele Thomas, has charged the National Sports Commission ( NSC) to ensure a level playing ground whenever NFF election is held, so that people with integrity can participate in the electoral process.
Speaking with select journalists on the state of Nigerian football, Thomas the Chief Executive Officer of Atom Real Estate Investment Management Limited as well as TopPro Sports Management Limited, while acknowledging that a big vacuum has been created with the current resignation of the entire board members of the football house, however expressed hope that the NSC will be able to quickly stabilize the system.
“There’s no doubt that a big vacuum has been created with the resignation of the entire NFF board members because once you remove the people that are driving the organization and you don’t replace them immediately, you’ll create a lot of issues either within the project or the programme they’re currently carrying out and you’ll stall things going forward.
” What I think that the NSC is trying to do is to bring in interim administration which can be called ‘ Piece Orders’ to be able to stabilize the environment until we’re able to get permanent people into the organization.
Thomas, a one time board member of Nigeria Women Football League, however, warned that changing those in charge of NFF might not solve the problem, unless we’re able to examine how people are elected.
“As for me, removing the egg heads of NFF is one thing, another thing is that we should be able to examine those presenting themselves for election.
” Another thing, is how can we ensure a level playing ground for competent, sincere and people with integrity to participate in the electoral process that will bring about the new generation of Federation leaders.
Speaking further, he adviced those who are saddled with the responsibility of kick-starting a new generation of leaders for the football house to consider credibility of candidates and avoid a situation whereby people will be recycled back to the system.
“All that’s needed now is people with fresh ideas or people who have served the country diligently and professionally with clean records.
“There are a lot of people in Nigeria today who have been influencing the development of the country’s football; though not openly but who have been doing it in a way that they’ve been able to influence certain aspect of our football development. These people should be considered as the new generation of leaders
Thomas who served as the inaugural Chairman of the Football Intermediaries Association of Nigeria (FIAN), insisted that
anyone going to come out today to serve Nigeria must come with clean hands because he that comes with equity, must come with clean hands just as he reminded the NSC that if one cuts off the head and the body remains, the body will corrupt the head.
On the issue of term limit which is being canvassed in some quarters, the renowned female football promoter, agreed that there should be term limit for NFF board members, insisting that nothing is infinite.
“I quite agree that there should be a time limit for elected board members. We must do away with the practice of having some people as board members for close to 20 years
“People should realize that in this world, nothing is infinite or last forever. So, I will ascribe to the school of thought that says we should limit the scope and time of every chairman and board members.
“What we should be asking ourselves is whether it will be four years of two tenures but for me, I think I will abide with two years of two tenures.
“I belong to a professional association established by an act of the National Assembly and I’m going to be it’s next President and I can only serve for two terms of two years each.
” And after my four years in office, another President of the Institute will emerge. It doesn’t mean that I don’t have the capacity to continue but everyone needs fresh ideas and I think, that should also apply to our sports industry”, he concluded
