By Tony Ubani & Jacob Ajom

Embattled Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League, Davidson Owumi has laughed off the threat of the Nigeria Football Federation to arrest him and described the whole drama as a theatre of the absurd.

NFF logo

Owumi was ousted as Chairman of the NPL by NFF executive committee in Uyo during which the Professor Ibidapo Obe Arbitration Panel verdict on the NPL leadership tussle was upheld.

Reacting to the news of his arrest yesterday, Owumi who described the threat as laughable asked; “when did the NFF assume the position of Commander in Chief of Armed Forces? Have you seen where an illegal body will arrest a legal body?

If truly they said they will arrest me, it is most unfortunate”, the former Chairman of Rangers International said. Continuing he asked; “Are they going to arrest me as a non Nigerian or as a criminal? I am a Nigerian and the country belongs to all of us. I am waiting for them to arrest me”, Owumi said adding that he was ready to defend his mandate as Chairman of the Nigerian Premier League.

Meanwhile, President of the Nigeria Football Federation Aminu Maigari has said that the football house has concluded all issues regarding the Nigeria Premier League leadership tussle and considered the Davidson Owumi-Rumson Baribote saga as closed.

Reacting to Owumi’s assertion that the NFF could not sack him, Maigari simply said, “the executive committee of the NFF used the powers conferred on it by the statutes that created it, there is nothing Owumi can do about that.

The Ibidapo Obe Arbitration panel report disqualified him and by the statutes of the NPL he is not qualified to contest for the election.”

Maigari contended that the board was happy that the NPL leadership tussle had been dealt with and it was time the board moved ahead in the task of bringing back Nigerian football to the top.

“Right now, the  former vice-chairman Shehu Gusau is the acting chairman of the NPL and he will be attending our board  meetings as chairman of the NPL, pending when the elections will be concluded.