From Linus Oota, Lafia
Fresh crisis has rocks the Football Association in Nasarawa State over the composition of the electoral committee members ahead of the February 15th election.
An aspirant in the upcoming election the state and a football stakeholder Mr. Ibrahim Shigafarta had kicked against the composition of the electoral committee constituted by the FA to conduct election.
According to a petition personally signed and a copy made available to our correspondent in Lafia, he alleged that the membership of Abdulhamid Babanrabi in the committee was a gross violation of fairness, justice and due process in the electoral process, because Babanrabi is also currently the Secretary of the Nasarawa FA, making it difficult for him to be fair in the process.
Shigafarta, who is vying for a membership of the FA, added that the fact that Babanrabi was appointed as secretary of both the FA and electoral committee by the FA Chairman, Muhammed Alkali and the fact that the chairman is also contesting in the election made it difficult that the process would not be swayed to favour the incumbent chairman and his supporters.
“There is no justification in Babanrabi’s membership of the Electoral Committee because he is currently the secretary of FA, a position he was appointed by the chairman of the FA, Muhammed Alkali, who is also a contestant.
“As such, it is not possible for Babanrabi to be a judge in his court. Lastly, there’s also the need to avail the contestants with the list of delegates to enable us campaign for votes at least one month before election. It is my hope and prayer that there should be a free, fair and credible F.A election,” he said.
When contacted, Muhammed Alkali, Nasarawa FA Chairman said Babanrabi was appointed as a member and secretary of the electoral committee because that is how it was stipulated in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) statues with regards to elections into FAs across the country.
“All over Nigeria, all over the world, it is the secretary of the federation or the secretary of the FA that is the Secretary of the electoral body and Babanrabi is the Secretary of the FA in Nasarawa State. So by status quo, he is the secretary of the electoral committee. If you check the status, you will see it stipulated there,” he said.