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By Amaechi Agbo

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has not right to cancel Anambra State Football Association’s elections, Bestchoicesports.com.ng has been told.

Former Nigeria Premier League, NPL (now Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL) chairman, Barrister Victor Rumson Baribote, has told this paper that the NFF has no right whatsoever to cancel or approve any election conducted by state Football Association.

Mr Baribote who was reacting to NFF’s position on the Monday 27 July election into the Anambra State FA Executive Committee Board that saw Senator Ifeanyi Ubah returned unopposed, said the federation lacks powers to approve or cancel any FA elections.

The NFF in a Tuesday press statement described the election as a “brigandage” adding that “That was an affront on the Government and the NFF will never be part of it. The Anambra State COVID-19 Task Force made it clear that there should be no such gathering. It is irksome, and let it be said without ambiguity that the NFF does not recognize such a sham and it cannot stand.”

In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, Mr Baribote lambasted the NFF over their action adding that even FIFA does not interfere in Members Association’s election.

“Tell Gusau (NFF chairman of chairmen) to keep quiet, he is always swimming in illegality.

“The Anambra State Football Association is an independent body. What they need is to communicate to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF. The NFF might be or not be there, it is not compulsory.

“The FA is independent and NFF should not always be coming out to talk before the public to ridicule themselves.
If the electoral committee appointed by the FA has conducted election, NFF cannot cancel it.

“The FA is independent of the NFF. NFF has no right to cancel the election because FIFA cannot cancel NFF election.

“NFF cannot cancel state FAs’ elections. They don’t need approval from NFF to do election. Once they have agreed in their congress and appointed an electoral committee in line with Article 12 of the NFF which says that the electoral committee must be drawn up in a congress and process followed, and even if it is not followed, there is an election committee which you can appeal to.

“NFF’s position in the Anambra FA election amounts to interference,” he state.