By John Egbokhan
Posted to the Web: Monday, May 29, 2006

Gombe, who founded the Stakeholders Forum, the group that is vehemently opposed to the reelection of Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima as the Chairman of the NFA, but later changed, said he was disappointed with the doublespeak and actions of FIFA’s Secretary-General, Urs Linsi, who brokered the deal in Abuja, last weekend.

He berated FIFA for not following due process and contravening its own rules and earlier endorsement of the Galadima-led NFA board, arguing that FIFA has set a dangerous precedent with the Nigerian crisis and predicting that the July 18 Congress will end in chaos that may further trouble the game in the country.
When FIFA upheld the Kano election in February, Gombe ruled that all should respect FIFA’s verdict but the Minister thought otherwise and continued to sponsor the Stakeholders.

“I am seriously disappointed with the decisions reached at the peace meeting in Abuja. When they went for the meeting, I heard that FIFA, through Linsi, suggested another election but it was vehemently opposed by the board of the NFA. If Linsi, leaves Zurich for Abuja to tell us to conduct another election, I think it was a waste of time, money and absolutely unnecessary. He might have compromised.
“However, when they resumed the meeting after the break, they reached some decisions, asking the Congress to decide the need for another election or not. For goodness sake, what happened to our Statutes , which FIFA approved? Are we saying because of reconciliation that we are to push away our Statutes? I do no think so.

“The only way to achieve reconciliation is to go through our Statutes. But, now, FIFA has set a dangerous precedent to us to disregard our Statutes in the name of reconciliation. From which aspect of the Statutes did FIFA get the mandate to ask the Congress to convene on July 18, to decide if there will be another election or not? “Was it not the same FIFA that recognised the elections some months ago and now they are calling for a Congress? I am deeply disturbed with their recommendations. I do not think the Congress will solve the problem, rather, it would worsen it.

“Besides, what will be in the agenda when we reconvene on July 18? There will be total chaos and confusion at the Congress”, added Gombe, who said the outcome of the peace meeting has caused the Ministry of Sports and Social Development, huge financial losses
“The Minister is the only Stakeholder, in that he is the one financing the body. The Ministry funded the lawyer that filed the case at the Court of Arbitration for Sports and I have it on good authority that the lawyer is the Minister’s personal lawyer
“The Congress is not necessary because people have already taken some decisions which are prejudicial to the conclusions of the peace meeting that was held. They were expected to go back and keep quiet”, he added.