September 9, 2022

The Federal Government says it no longer recognises the League Management Company (LMC) as operator of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), while ordering the Nigeria Football federation to immediately withdraw licence.

In a statement on Friday, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Ismaila Abubakar noted that the decision was with immediate effect.

He explained that the decision was taken in view of the several unpleasant incidents regarding the management of the football league, specifically the declaration of the National Football League (NFL) as an illegal body by a court.

Abubakar added that the government also considered the status of the LMC, and the NFL’s successor-in-title being outside the purview of the statutes of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

“This decision has become necessary because of the obvious aberration (which is at variance with our football statutes or the laws of the land) whereby a private company is gifted the mandate to manage or run the league indefinitely, without the full involvement of and leadership by the clubs, and devoid of any process to monitor the progress and development of the game”.

“Sequel to the above, and in order to rescue our domestic football from total collapse, the Board of the LMC and the LMC as a body would no longer be recognised by the Federal Government as operator of the Nigerian Professional Football League.

“To avert further chaos in our domestic football, the NFF is advised to immediately withdraw the licence given to the LMC and, in the meantime, set up an Interim Management Committee (IMC), to include the current Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the LMC to oversee the affairs of the league until a proper Professional League Board is constituted in accordance with the statutes of the NFF.”