By Emma Jemegah
There is no end in sight to the squabble between the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and Total Promotions as the Managing Director of the promotion outfit has slammed the NPFL chairman for alleged lying.
Niyi Alonge, the Managing Director of Total Promotions accused the NPFL chairman, Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye of being mischievous in his statement over his company’s threat to drag Startimes and the league body to court for alleged breach of contract agreement.
According to Alonge, Hon Elegbeleye lied that he was not aware of any broadcast right by Total Promotions.
Hon Elegbeleye, in a statement on Monday, said he’s unaware of Total Promotions Nigeria Ltd and it’s alleged unending surreptitious link with the League.
But Alonge counters, saying “I met Mr Elegbeleye when he was DG of Sports in his Minister’s office in Abuja. During the meeting, I had reason to ask the Hon. Minister if he was officially briefed of a Federal High Court judgment that effectively cancels present football administration structure in Nigeria. The minister said no. So, I gave him a copy of Justice Donatus Okorowo judgment and pointed to the most concerning part of the judgment from which I want to part quote this aspect that:
“The Minister asked the Elegbeleye, why he’s not been briefed on this. The DG, to my astonishment, denied any knowledge of the judgment. Now, that is a DG that also was a member of the Federal House of Representatives and the Sports Committee of the house. So, here is this DG who is in charge of the nation’s sports structure of which football is the most unifying loved game in Nigeria and he’s completely oblivious of the impact his official statement acknowledging complete ignorance of the effect of Okorowo Court judgment will have on Nigeria football.
“Elegbeleye also did not know the history and difference between NFA ACT and NFF. So, one should not be surprised given his lack of primary knowledge of sports structure both as member of Parliament and Director General,” Alonge bemoaned.
Mr Alonge claimed Total Promotions’ loan of N35m started up the league in 2005 leading to take off. “There is a board minutes of the Interim League board which captures this yet to be paid loan, and we have a copy of the minutes signed by Salihu Abubakar, the then Secretary of the Interim board.
Mr Alonge added that apart from the take off loan, Total Promotions also played a pivotal role in getting NFLL registered by the CAC all in the aim of making the league a viable product for sponsors and companies to invest into.
He urged Barrister Isaac Danladi, the NPFL lawyer and the current CEO of the NPFL, Davidson Owumi to properly educate Hon Elegbeleye on the dangers of fallen in contempt of court.
“Danladi’s (Esq) public statement whereby he questions or attempts to rewrite the legal authority of the Supreme Court vis -a vis the lower court is a taboo. It simply shows why our league and football are so palpably badly managed,” Alonge laments.