FIAN disclaims new interim executive body

By Akeem Busari

The national executive body of Football Intermediaries Association of Nigeria (FIAN), has disclaimed the purported formation of an interim executive body, to forcefully replace the present executives of the body, led by Ayodele Thomas, whose tenure is expected to expire in April, 2021.

On Monday, a publication in a national newspaper revealed that some members of FIAN led by ex-chairman, Sodeke held a virtual AGM where it purportedly suspended incumbent chairman Ayodele Thomas and five other members of his executives, and swiftly formed an interim executive body to run the body for the next one year.

 The meeting purportedly suspended the chairman, PRO, financial secretary, while it also suspended the assistant secretary-general, all perceived enemies to the agenda to overthrow the present executive, whose tenure will expire late April and with the benefits of 3 extra months to conduct elections in case of contingency.

Reacting to the new development in the body, FIAN’s Public Relations Officer, Kelvin Irikefe described it as a futile attempt to destroy the modest achievements of the present executives.

“Instead of discussing the AGM and election at the illegitimately convened meeting where even non FIAN members were allowed to participate in order to pull attendance to form quorum of 80 which is 2/3 of 120 members. Unfortunately they ended up claiming just 57 attendees which falls far short of the quorum.

“Shockingly, they not only purportedly dissolve the present exco, but instantly constituted themselves into an interim government to run for a year and thus suspended the constitution and cancelled election till 2022,” Irikefe explained.

” Painfully, they now took names of innocent colleagues to press and public question for doing nothing wrong and for absolutely nothing at stake,” he lamented.

Conclusively, Irikefe stated that the executives will be holding a world press conference shortly to formally intimate the world of the failed attempt by some dissidents to forcefully overthrow the duly elected FIAN executive body. He further admonished members of the public against dealing with any of the dissidents.