NFA slams indefinite suspension on Sharks FC

By Fidelis Ebu,  Abuja
Members of the   Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Association in their determined bid to ensure absolute control of football in the country and soft landing in August 28 election, have slammed an indefinite suspension on the Rivers State soccer outfit, Sharks FC.

The Executive Committee of NFA after its nocturnal meeting last Friday where it announced Lars Lagerback as the national team Technical Adviser said Sharks FC would from today (Monday, 1st March, 2010) be barred from further participation in the Premier League matches.

“The Executive Committee slammed an indefinite suspension on Premier League Club, Sharks FC of Port Harcourt effective from Monday, 1st March, 2010 for non-compliance with the statutory provisions guiding association football”, said Obinna Ogba, an Executive Committee member of the NFA after Friday’s meeting at the NFF secretariat.

Remarkably, NFA had last  Tuesday issued a statement directing the Rivers State Football Association and the management of Sharks football club to re-instate Okechukwu Kpalakwu as General Manager of the club within 48 hours, and warned the state sports commissioner, Boma Iyayi, to desist from the affairs of the state FA until a proper Board is constituted for the club.
In a statement issued in Abuja, NFA’s Deputy General Secretary (General Services) Barrister Musa Amadu directed both the Rivers State FA and the Sharks FC to reverse all the decisions of the Commissioner for Sports, Honourable Boma Iyaye on Sharks FC and maintain the status quo.

The statement described the action of the Rivers State Commissioner as contained in his letter to the NPL Electoral Committee dated 8th February, 2010, as a “gross and flagrant violation of Article 13 1(a) (i) and (i), and Article 1.9(4) of the Globacom Premier League 2009/2010, which has brought the game into disrepute”.

The statement further said; “This should also serve as a final warning to the Honourable Commissioner from further breach of NFF’s statutes, regulations, directives and ethics”.

“Failure to maintain the status quo will compel the NFA, as the National Governing body for football in Nigeria to sanction Sharks FC appropriately, in full compliance with the regulations governing football in Nigeria ” Barrister Amadu concluded.