Anambra FA Saga: Sports Ministry Asks NFF to uphold Ifeanyi Ubah election

Following controversies surrounding the Anambra August 2 state football association elections, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development Honorable Sunday Dare has instructed the Nigeria Football Federation to stick to their Statute and uphold the Elections.

This was made known following a resolution meeting in Abuja which involved all parties in the Anambra Election, The Ministry of Sports in a move to calm the matters down last Monday after the meeting promised to come out with their resolution.

The ministry of youth and sports development In their response letter to end the Anambra State FA elections crisis, in a letter dated 15/10/2020 which was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Gebriel Aduda titled: “Resolution of the Ministerial Meeting On The Anambra Election” reads in parts, “The Ministry of Sports advises the Nigeria Football Federation to uphold the results of the election conducted by the Anambra State Football Association, and also grievance should be channelled to the Electoral Committee in line with the NFF Statue and extant laws.”

Recall that the Electoral Committee headed by Jude Anyadufu conducted elections of the Anambra State Football Association on August 2nd. The Election produced Ifeanyi Ubah as the winner and the Electoral Committee presented to him a Certificate of Return.

The NFF on August 3rd rejected the results of the election and set up a Caretaker Committee to conduct another election on November 2nd, 2020.

The NFF action to set up a Caretaker Committee is against its own Statute which they confirmed in their letter to the Katsina Football Association that FIFA, CAF, and NFF frowned at setting up a Caretaker Committee in an election matter. The letter was dated April 17th, 2019.

The second paragraph reads in part, “That FIFA, CAF, NFF, and Katsina FA Statutes do not contemplate or provide for Caretaker Committee.”

Will this NFF listen to the Ministry of Sports’ advice as they rolled out the names of candidates who will contest for the planned November 2nd, 2020 Election we will wait to see.