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Tag: Baribote

  • We must get it right – Baribote insists

    We must get it right – Baribote insists

    • Says cabal should stay away from Nigeria football
    • No condition attached to court withdrawal

    Former chairman of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), Victor Baribote, has urged all genuine stakeholders to use the recent impasse to do the right thing in the Nigeria football.

    President Goodluck Jonathan saved Nigeria from FIFA ban after calling a truce meeting between the leading football stakeholders in the country, which led to the resolution of the recent NFF elective process.

    Baribote in a telephone chat with SportingLife said the transformation of the Nigeria football should be all encompassing and not to be left in the hands of some individuals.

    “For the fact that the case has been withdrawn from court does not mean everything has been settled. The president who is number one citizen in the country pleaded with all parties concerned to withdraw the case from court and there is nothing anybody can do but to abide with the president directive,” Baribote told SportingLife.

    “For you to build you have to destroy first. You need to destroy before building a good structure.

    “We have to take Nigeria football to a level that will make us be in the same level with international world. Again, we have to liberate Nigeria football from the cabal who believe it is their personal estate.

    “For you to make the necessary change you have to first of all sanitise the system. That is exactly what happened. It is not a day job to just make those changes. We are in the process to change it.

    “For example, in the past all twenty Nigeria Premier League clubs used to be part of the congress and they have voting right. But it is now in the hands of the state FAs which is not supposed to be so.

    “At the end of every season, there should be a congress to make amendment where necessary in our rules. It is very wrong to allow some set of people to decide the fate of our football. It has to be all-embracing things. All genuine stakeholders have to be involved not just stakeholders that are benefiting from the system but those that are contributing or people giving back to the system should be part of those that will decide the fate of football.”

    The chairman of Nembe City Football Club also disclosed to SportingLife that no condition was attached to withdraw of court case by Ambassador Chris Giwa.

    “We did it for Nigerians. We will still come to the round table to talk and see how to correct some anomalies in the system.”

    The former Bayelsa United chairman has also urged Nigeria journalists to report fact and not to whip up sentiments against individuals.

    “In as much as we give thanks to the press for what they are doing but they should still try and report back to the public exactly what happened and not to present some people in a negative way to public or whip up sentiments against some people,” he added.

  • Club Owners suspend Baribote, Babangida

    The leadership of the Nigeria premier league clubs chairmen and managers have slammed an indefinite suspension on three member-clubs namely Nembe City, FC Taraba and Crown FC from all activities of the association with immediate effect.

    This was part of the decision taken by the executive committee meeting of the association held last Friday in Abuja. It is to be presented to the next general meeting of the association for ratification.

    According to a statement by the Club Owners signed by the acting chairman Issac Danladi and the acting secretary Alloy Chukwuemeka, the suspension order also extends to the persons of Victor Rumson Baribote, Fatai Olayinka and Tijjani Babangida for flaunting the directives of the association and being involved in anti- association activities.

    It would be recalled that the affected member-clubs disregarded the directive of the club owners by accepting membership of an Interim League committee which contradicted with the position and stand of the association.

    Meanwhile, the Club Owners expressed appreciation to three of their members Isaac Danladi(Nasarawa United), Okey Ibe(Heartland FC) and Babangida Little(Kano Pillars) for their courage and good comradeship in rejecting membership of the said committee and for their obedience to the association’s directive.

    In another development, the club owners have commiserated with the families of two of their members, Shehu Gusau and Ayo Bello, who died recently.

    The association prayed for the repose of their souls and have also approved the sum of N500,000  for each of the bereaved families.

  • Baribote blames football administrators for low turn-out of fans

    Baribote blames football administrators for low turn-out of fans

    Unless football administrators stop the win-at-all-costs syndrome, stadium stands in Nigeria will continue to be empty during football games, a former chairman of the Globacom Premier League, said on Wednesday.

    Victor Baribote made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin. He said most administrators were in the habit of winning matches by inducing referees.

    “This is why Nigerian league matches are unattractive to watch. It is not true that referees are responsible for favouring teams to win matches, especially home games. The administrators are the ones conniving with the referees to win games at all costs,” he said.

    According to Baribote, administrators should allow spectators to enjoy matches by not bribing referees to win matches for them.

    The Nembe City chairman said that with the calibre of players in the league and the huge football-loving fans, the Nigerian league would have ranked one of the best in the world.

    “But this is not the case because our administrators want to win matches at all costs, to retain their jobs. I have had cause to tell people not to hold referees responsible over the issue of bribing to win matches.

    “It is the administrators that go to referees and not referees going to them to demand for bribes. We must collectively join hands to make our league grow by allowing our football fans to enjoy matches like they do in the English Premier League and the `La Liga’ (the Spanish League),” Baribote added.

  • Baribote writes NFF, faults 15-year ban

    Embattled former chairman of( Nigerian Premier League NPL), Victor Rumson Baribote, has formally written to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), over the 15-year ban slammed on him by the body, querying the modality used in pronouncing the ban.

    Although, Baribote insisted that he has not received any official correspondent from the NFF over his purported ban from all football related activities, he however said that he had to write an official letter to the federation after getting the report used in pronouncing the ban.

    In a letter dated October 25 bearing the NFF’s official reception stamp titled ‘Re: Report of the investigation committee of the Nigeria Football Federation against Rumson Victor Baribote in his petition to FIFA’ and made available to media at the weekend, erstwhile chairman of NPL questioned the report.

    He challenged the federation’s claim of impersonation and demanded for a proof. Part of the letter read: “In my several letters to FIFA, I stated that I am the duly elected chairman of NPL and was unduly removed from office, and ever since I have not acted in that capacity. Having stated this, if there is any prove to the contrary, I would like such document tendered.

    “In response to the second finding of the committee regarding the ownership of Nembe City FC, even the document tendered by the League Management Company (LMC) to the investigative committee which they relied upon, clearly stated that Rumson Victor Baribote is the President of Nembe City FC. The name Mrs. Baribote appeared neither on the management’s team nor in the incorporation of the club. If there is any document to the contrary, let them tender it for public view,” he noted.

    Deflating the claims on the report, Baribote further wrote: “The incorporation of the League Management Company Limited (LMC) which Aminu Maigari signed as one of the directors representing Nigeria Football Association (NFA). A body he claimed not to be in existence in affidavits deposed to by his lawyers and was tendered in court that NFA is different from NFF. Hence when you represent a body that is not in existence, you are only acting for yourself.

    “The LMC chairman had claimed that LMC derived its powers from the NFA and several documents, including the incorporation of the LMC Limited, clearly stated that NFA empowers them. So, one can’t explain the technicalities or the rationale behind LMC giving the sum of N25 million to NFF, a body Maigari claims is not the same as NFA and does not even exit.

    “In my petition, I did not state anything regarding the sum of N25 million, I rather delved into the incorporation of LMC since Maigari claims NFA is not in existence. It then means that he acted in his personal capacity and for his personal benefit by representing NFA, a body not in existence and not the same with the NFF of which he was elected as president,” he stated.

     

  • NFF bans Ogunjobi for 10 Years, Baribote bags 15

    NFF bans Ogunjobi for 10 Years, Baribote bags 15

    Nigeria Football Federation has wielded the big stick by placing a 10-year ban on a former General Secretary of the Federation and Executive Committee Member, Taiwo Ogunjobi and a 15-year ban on former Chairman, Nigerian Premier League (NPL).

    The decision to suspend the duo was taken at the Executive Committee meeting of the Federation held in Addis Ababa on Saturday, October 12, 2013.

    According to the statement issued on Monday, the Executive Committee sanctioned the ban sequel to the report of an investigative committees chaired by Chris Green on Ogunjobi’s case and the one headed by Emeka Inyama on Baribotes’s matter.

    Also, the NFF resolved to constitute a four-man committee to probe bribery allegation against the chairman of the Organizing and disciplinary Committee (O&D), Olalyeye Adepoju as well as Chidi Ofor Okenwa, chairman of Enugu State Football association.

    The 11-point communiqué issued by Emeka Inyama, chairman Communiqué Drafting Committee reads in full:

    “The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation met at the Saro-Maria Hotel in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia on Saturday, 12th October, 2013 to discuss pertinent issues in Nigeria football and decided as follows:

    “The Executive Committee praised the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR for finding time out of a very heavy schedule during the African Union summit in Ethiopia, to attend training session of the Super Eagles on Saturday, 12th October, 2013 which hugely inspired the players to defeat Ethiopia in a 2014 FIFA World Cup final elimination fixture, first leg in Addis Ababa on

    Sunday, 13th October, 2013.

    “The Committee, based on the report of an investigative committee headed by Barrister Chris Green, approved a 10-year ban from all football-related activities on one-time NFF General Secretary and former NFF Executive Committee member, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi.

    “Similarly, the Committee, based on the report of an investigative committee headed by Chief Emeka Inyama, approved a 15-year ban from all football-related activities on former NPL Chairman, Chief Rumson Victor Baribote. These decisions by the Executive Committee are

    subject to ratification of the Congress of Nigeria football at the next Annual General Assembly, as contained in the NFF Statutes.

     

     

     

    “Also, the NFF resolved to constitute a four-man committee to probe bribery allegation against the chairman of the Organissiang and disciplinary Committee (O&D), Olalyeye Adepoju as well as Chidi Ofor Okenwa, chairman of Enugu State Football association.

    “The Executive Committee resolved to set up a four-man committee to investigate an allegation of bribery against a member of the Executive Committee, Barrister Olaleye Adepoju. Barrister Chris Green is chairman and members are Chief Inyama, Hon. Shehu Adamu, Alhaji Muazu

    Kawu and Brigadier-General Emma Okaro (rtd), with Alizor Chuks as Secretary. In the meantime, Barrister Adepoju is suspended from Chairmanship of the Organising and Disciplinary Committee of the Federation.

    “Committee resolved to set up a four-man committee to investigate a petition against Mr. Chidi Ofor Okenwa, Chairman of the Enugu State Football Association. Vice President, Chief Umeh is chairman, with Chief Inyama, Alhaji Yusuf Fresh and Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande as

    members, with Danlami Alanana as secretary. The committee has two weeks to submit its report.

    “Executive Committee ordered the Nigeria National League to deduct three points and three goals from Gabros International FC’s campaign in this year’s competition, as a direct result of the club’s failure to pay CHF2,000 being cost of arbitration in a case against Hertha BSC

    Berlin FC of Germany.

    “The Committee expressed confidence in the ability of the U-17 National Team, also known as Golden Eaglets, to do Nigeria proud at the FIFA U-17 World Cup finals taking place in the United Arab Emrates between 17th October – 8th November, 2013.

    “Executive Committee approved the appointment of a retired FIFA-graded referee, Mr. Sani Zubairu, as Consultant to the NFF Referees Unit.

    “Committee approved confirmation of the appointment of Management Staff of the Federation, with a four-year contract spanning March 2011 – March 2015.

    “The Executive Committee approved the promotion and confirmation of Members of Staff based on results of the last promotion/confirmation examinations.

    “The Committee approved Thursday, 28th November as date for the 2013 Annual General Assembly of Nigeria football, with Warri, Delta State as venue.

     

    In attendance: Aminu Maigari (President); Mike Umeh (Vice President);

    Emeka Inyama (Member); Dilichukwu Onyedinma (Member); Ahmad Muazu Kawu

    (Member); Effiong Johnson (Member); Christopher Green (Member); Muazu

    Suleyman (Member); Ayodeji Tinubu (Member); Shehu Adamu (Member);

    Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande (Member); Yusuf Ahmed Fresh (Member); Musa

    Amadu (Secretary). Absent With Apology: Olaleye Adepoju (Member); Felix Anyansi-Agwu (Member)

     

  • Baribote charges players against Gombe

    Baribote charges players against Gombe

    Nembe City president, Victor Rumson Baribote has urged his players to show more determination when they confront Gombe United in a week 29 Globacom Premier tie tomorrow.

    Nembe City defeated Kwara United in a week 28 match in Yenagoa on Wednesday to improve their position on the log.

    The former NPL boss told SportingLife that he was impressed with the five-star performance put up by the players on Wednesday.

    “The team is already in Gombe ahead of Sunday’s match. I have to praise their five-star performances against Kwara United. They were more determined and focused on Wednesday and the results came out. If they can show that kind of spirit in the game against Gombe, I am sure we will get something from the game,” Baribote told SportingLife.

    The club boss also rued the injuries that have affected some best players of the team.

    Ogene Elijah and Frank Egharavba returned against Kwara United while the likes of Ebitimi Agogu and others are still on the sideline.

    “We have lots of our players on the sideline but we thank God that it didn’t affect us much. Although we still feel their absence because they are our regular stars but we were able to manage it. Some of them made a dramatic return against Kwara United and I pray others return soon.”

  • CHANGE OF NAME Baribote frowns at NPFL

    CHANGE OF NAME Baribote frowns at NPFL

    • Vows to continue court action 

    Deposed chairman of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), Victor Baribote Rumson, has challenged the change of name for the nation’s top flight.

    The League Management Committee (LMC) changed the name of the elite division from the NPL to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

    But Baribote has described the change of name as illegal.

    “Did the congress sanction the change of name from the Nigeria Premier League (NPL)?” queried the owner of Nembe City FC.

    “Only the congress consisting of the 20 Premier League clubs can approve such a change because the league is owned by the clubs and not appointed officers.”

    Baribote also challenged the legality of the LMC while talking to supersport.com.

    He said that the setting up of the LMC to run the league contradicts FIFA and CAF statutes which the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) operates within.

    “There are laws guiding football. These same laws or statutes are same that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) operates within as we have in FIFA and CAFstatutes. I don’t know where an interim committee is provided for in those statutes to run the league. But because some people don’t like the face of Chief Baribote so I was eased out. I know the statutes provide for a league body headed by the first vice president of the football federation but some people have brought ethnic sentiments into our football.

    “And in the NPL statutes there are only provisions for the 20 clubs and seven elected members from the different geo-political zones including a chairman to represent the clubs on the board. But now we have 13 appointed persons, making it 33 members instead of 27. So that makes it unlawful, according to the NPL statutes. May be they should just appoint 20 committee members so we will have one member for each of the 20 clubs,” said Baribote.

    He also described as unfortunate that the LMC is now waiting for government grant to commence the 2012/13 season.

    “It’s laughable that they are now seeking government grant to start the league. We were almost 90 percent close to resolving the issue of title sponsorship until they turned the clubs against my board. During the hearing of House of Representatives sports committee on Thursday members of the LMC assured that they will contribute money from their pockets to run the league.

    “Now I’m asking these questions – why was my board forcefully removed from office? For the same reasons for which they removed my board, have they achieved success in those areas? Has the LMC settled the issue of title sponsorship for which they used as an excuse to force out my board?” asked the former Bayelsa United chairman.

    “Today in the Premier League, only myself and Senator Bukola Saraki are real club owners and deserve to make valid contributions to the league as we spend our money to run our clubs. So you see some actions do not make people more Nigerian than the other.”

    Despite blaming the NFF and the National Sports Commission (NSC) for the crisis in the top flight, Baribote reckons that recalling the (NPL) board he chaired will bring about solutions.

    He also declared that without such solution, he would continue with his court case challenging his removal as NPL chairman.

    Hearing on the case at the Federal High Court in Abuja comes up on Monday.

    The NPL board chaired by Baribote was voted out of office in Abuja in December 2012.

  • Court adjourns Baribote’s suit against NPL, NFF

    Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday adjourned till Tuesday, January 22 the case brought before it by the erstwhile Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League Victor Rumson Baribote.

    Baribote instituted the suit against the NPL and the Nigeria Football Federation challenging his supposed illegal removal as the Chairman of the NPL and the subsequent inauguration of an interim bard to manage the League.

    The embattled chairman of newly promoted side Nembe City has over the time maintained his belief in the judiciary as the last resort to get justice at all times.

    Aside taking to the court Baribote is believed to have also filed a petition against the Aminu Maigari led Nigeria Football Federation and the National Sports Commission at the National Assembly.

  • NPL congress sacks Baribote

    NPL congress sacks Baribote

    …Picks February 16 for league kick-off

    The Nigeria Premier League congress has sacked the Victor Baribote-led board and proposed February 16 for the commencement of the new season.

    In place of the board, the secretariat headed by executive secretary Tunji Babalola will run the affairs of the league body, MTNFootball.com reports.

    The congress also said the traditional pre-season tournament, the Super Four, will be hosted by Kano and reversed the expulsion of ocean boys from the league.

    The congress of the Nigeria Football Federation taking place in Port Harcourt on Thursday is expected to ratify these decisions.

    The congress, which met with 19 of the 20 clubs represented, had NFF executive committee members Shehu Adamu, Yahaya Kwande and Emeka Inyama in attendance as observers.

    Niger Tornadoes were the only club not represented at the congress.

    The meeting of the league clubs was held under tight security at the Prixair Hotel in Zone 6, Abuja.

    This was a day after the NPL board announced that the congress will no longer take place.

    The board instead directed that Baribote step down as NPL chairman with vice-chairman Shehu Gusau to act as chairman, while a three-man committee will probe the crisis of confidence that has plagued the league body.

     

  • NFF rejects Baribote’s sack

    NFF rejects Baribote’s sack

     

    The Nigeria Football Federation has rejected the decision of club bosses to sack the Victor Baribote-led Nigeria Premier League board, MTNFootball.com reports.

    The NFF said the decision to dissolve the NPL board did not comply with the statutes of the NPL.

    Baribote has maintained he was not aware of the decision to sack him and that the club chairmen did not adhere to the statutes of the NPL before taking the decision.

    In a communiqué issued after an emergency NFF executive committee meeting in Abuja on Friday, the body ordered the NPL to stage their congress on December 11 in Abuja.

    The NFF therefore appointed three of their executives, Emeka Inyama, Sulaiman Yahaya Kwande and Shehu Adamu, to attend Tuesday’s congress as observers.

    On Wednesday, the chairmen of at least 16 clubs passed a vote of no confidence on Baribote and his executives.

    They sacked the board and in their place appointed a six-man interim committee led by Mike Idoko.