Victor Rumson Baribote loses appeal, heads to NFF
Baribote loses appeal, heads to NFF
Posted: 2010-05-17 19:50
Bayelsa United chairman Victor Rumson Baribote had his appeal contesting the eligibility of Davidson Owumi to contest the NPL elections thrown out, and says he is heading to the NFF Appeals Committee.
Over the weekend, the NPL Election Appeals committee dismissed appeals by both Baribote and Abdulazeez Mohammed, who lost to Owumi in the election for the position of chairman of chairmen.
Suleiman David, chairman of the Appeals committee explained that the protests were thrown out for lack of merit because both men lacked the locus standi to appeal.
According to David, chairman of Niger Tornadoes, the issues being contested by were raised, deliberated on and agreed on at the NPL Congress prior to the elections and both men were party to those resolutions.
"Having thoroughly gone through the petitions and all issues raised, the Committee took the following decisions: that the petitions written to the Electoral Committee lacked merit because the writers lacked locus standi to do so.
"We stand by that decision of the Electoral Committee.
"The appellants have also failed to prove their cases beyond reasonable doubt. Also that the Saturday 8th May, 2010 NPL election was free, fair, transparent and credible. That the appeal lacked merit and can not be substantiated and hereby thrown out.
"That the decision of the Electoral Committee declaring Mr. Davison Owumi as winner of the NPL Chairmanship election of Saturday, 8th May, 2010 is hereby upheld."
Baribote however, remains unsatisfied and has decided to take his case one step further.
"I am heading to NFF Arbitration to seek redress and claim my rightful position," he said. "A member of the NPL Electoral Committee, Tony Ogola from Ocean Boys FC, Bayelsa State and Awulu Jada representing North East Zone had initially complained about the eligibility of Davison Owumi before the commencement of the election and they sent in a letter to that effect dated 11th March, 2010."
And in reaction to David’s declaration that they invoked the resolutions of the NPL Congress in arriving at their decision Baribote said "Nigeria doesn’t operate verbal laws but documented statutes. So if the Congress agreed on something it must be documented. And whatever election guidelines we are adopting must be in concert and agreement with the NPL Statutes.
"If at all the Congress has to amend the election guidelines it must be in line with the statutes and have the Nigeria Football Federation’s approval before it can be in full use for the election or any other thing else.
"Davison Onwumi has not satisfied the conditions stipulated by the electoral guidelines in line with statutes for either the post of the Chairman of chairmen and the NPL chairman.
The NFF Appeals Committee will sit on Tuesday in Abuja.
The Committee is headed by NFF Presuident Sani Lulu Abdullahi and has Taiwo Ogunjobi, Gen. Bala Usara (rtd), Aminu Maigari, Kunle Adesiyun, Ben Okolo and Olaleye Adepoju as members. NFF Deputy General Secretary Musa Amadu is the secretary and Tunde Aderibigbe is assistant secretary.
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