By Amaechi Agbo

Ahead of April 24th planned election into the executive council of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, Federal Capital Territory, FCT chapter, crisis and intrigues are playing out as members of the three-member electoral committee set up in March have resigned, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

The resignation is not unconnected with imposition of a “draconic and doctored Electoral guideline” that is reportedly in contradiction with the constitutional requirements of the Association on the electoral committee which members frowned at.

In a resignation letter made available to our correspondent and signed by the chairperson of the committee, Dr (Mrs) Victoria Nlemigbo, Esq, it noted that the members of the electoral committee are stepping aside from their services on the fact that “we cannot place something on nothing and expect it to stand, as all great or prosperous organizations and associations acquire their status primarily from and by adhering to the laws, rules and regulations governing them else they decapitate and disappear.”

Below is part of the letter received,

“You may recall that on the 6th of March, 2021, a three man Electoral Committee was inaugurated by the General Assembly of the FCT Football Coaches Association for the purpose of organizing and executing the proposed election of Officers to replace the outgoing executives.

“You may also recall that on the same day, immediately at the end of the general meeting, another meeting commenced made up of some elders, area council leaders and Secretaries purported as the Congress of the FCT Football Coaches Association. This meeting was claimed to be for the presentation of the Electoral Guidelines from the Exco to the Chairman of the Electoral Committee. This was supposed to and should have been the presentation of a copy of the constitution to enable the Electoral Committee produce a sound, Constitutional and balanced Electoral Guidelines.

“With praise, honour, gratitude and humility to God Almighty and great appreciation and respect for all the members of the NFCA FCT chapter, especially those who share the same ideology and principles with me and my Committee members on the way forward for this great association by insisting on the Supremacy of the Constitution of the association.

“Our decision to step down is premised on the fact that we cannot place something on nothing and expect it to stand, as all great or prosperous organizations and associations acquire their status primarily from and by adhering to the laws, rules and regulations governing them else they decapitate and disappear.

“You may also recall that on the 19th of March, 2021, the Electoral Committee, in exercising its right, published the Electoral guidelines to inform the interested parties of the current position.
This did not go down well with the Exco of our dear Association as they found that the Electoral Guideline is in conformity with the constitutional provision on elections.
They reacted by openly threatening to dissolve the committee. They followed this up by summary as for a meeting with the National Executive Committee on the 25th of March, 2021, where at the end of almost 3 hours of meeting, they were advised to give the electoral committee all the necessary documents and all the committee to carry out its mandate. We waited for the documents and nothing was given to us and we did not have any additional information that could inform any change in our position. This did not happen, but instead, on the 1st of April, 2021 we got this message from the outgoing chairman.”

Meanwhile, Bestchoicesports.com.ng gathered that the tenure of the current Executive Committee had expired early last year but election into the council was delayed because of Covid-19 pandemic.