The fight for the control of the Nigeria Premier League board has taken a new twist, which could delay the commencement of the 2012 season, scheduled to start on January 7.Already, there is a battle between the chairman of the board, Victor Baribote, and chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee, Akin Akinbobola, over the eligibility to contest election for the post of the chairman, August.The Annual General Meeting of the board takes place on Saturday (today) in Bayelsa State, but ahead of the AGM, Akinbobola is claiming that he received a message warning him not to attend the congress.While confirming the receipt of the said message via his cell-phone, Akinbobola told our correspondent that he suspected that Baribotes camp was planning to sack the appeal committee, which is hearing his case against the chairman.They said because I attempted to dissolve the electoral committee, they would also dissolve the appeal committee, meaning that I will have to subject myself to the new appeal committee that will be formed by them, he said.I wonder why they are so particular about the appeal committee that was formed before our election and which has a four year-tenure. My suspicion is that the club owners are being bribed to move a motion for the dissolution of the appeal committee without a counter motion. I have written the Nigeria Football Federation over the matter.I have received text messages that they would be waiting for me in Bayelsa State during the congress. With the kind of security we have in Nigeria, I will not go to Bayelsa, which is the home of Baribote. I want to be alive to fight the cause I believe in.When contacted on the matter, Baribote did not pick the call and he did not respond to a text message sent to him by our correspondent.The appeal committee, which was inaugurated one and a half months ago, has David Suleyman from Niger Tornadoes, Paul Chibuzor from Rangers and Barrister Danladi as members. They are to determine the legality of the process that produced Baribote as NPL chairman after former boss, Davidson Owumi, was kicked out by a court verdict. Akinbobola was not allowed to take part in the August election because he stepped down for Owumi during the earlier election.The implication of the rumble in the NPL house is that the January date for the commencement of a new season is threatened. Akinbobola wants the NPL congress to respect the structure in place so that the league can run smoothly.Baribote is my friend but he should consider the future of the clubs and the Premier League. It will be a miracle if the league starts in January considering the situation that we find ourselves now.This is not the first time the league is suffering because of clashes among those who run football in Nigeria.During Owumis stay in office, he secured a four-year sponsorship deal with MTN worth N2.65bn. But a power play between NPL and NFF scuttled the deal as Globacom, which lost, out kicked against the bidding process. For the whole of last season, the league ran without a recognised title rights owner while the clubs suffered.Players were owed salaries and signing-on fees, while the only club not financed by a state government, Bukola Babes, were forced to be sold because of the cost of running. The winners of the title, Dolphins of Port Harcourt, were not given any prize for fighting for 38 weeks.Former Gombe United coach, Eleta Zenas, said the ownership of private clubs would be difficult as the crisis in the NPL would scare sponsors away.He said, There are many companies who could have gladly brought money to the league or form football clubs, thereby creating jobs for thousands of people, but crisis like this will spell negative image for the league.Even clubs who are being financed by state governments in Nigeria would have benefitted greatly if we can have a big sponsor. The two figures are prominent in Nigerian league and they should reach an agreement so that the image of the league body will remain intact, he said.Two-time chairman of the board, Oyuki Obaseki, also had a fight with the NFF over the issue of sponsorship money from Globacom. He refused to allow the NFF get any percentage of the money, claiming that it was meant for the running of the league. He was threatened with impeachment.
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