The leadership tussle rocking the Nigeria Premier League has assumed a worrisome and dangerous trend following the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation to sack Davidson Owumi and order fresh election, an election that various interest groups and persons are already reading different undertones to, even as they are eyeing the plum job.

With the Aminu Maigari-led NFF board ordering for the conduct of fresh elections within 14 days from the day that Owumi’s election was annulled, reinstated chairman of Bayelsa United, Rumson Baribote, whose petition led to the annulment of Owumi by the Ibidapo Obe-led NFF Arbitration Panel, set up during the tenure of Sani Lulu, okayed the Uyo declaration and subsequently declared himself as the only legitimate candidate for the forthcoming polls.

“I have been vindicated at last. Owumi was not qualified for the elections in the first place. I thank God for justice that has been served. I offer myself as a candidate for the fresh elections since I was the only qualified candidate for the position of the chairman of our league,, in the annulled poll.

“People have been trying to tarnish my name but what I am saying is that we must follow due process if we are going to forge our league ahead”, said Baribote, whose positioned was buoyed up by sports lawyer Iyke Igbokwe, who insisted that Owumi’s reign has ended.

“It is over for Owumi. Fresh elections have been called for and only those who are qualified for the elections are to take part in it”, said Igbokwe.

And adding more fuel to the raging leadership inferno, controversial lawyer and referee, Ray Nnaji, has expressed serious disappointment with the ruling of the NFF, which according to him, came very late and allowed for the problems to persist thus far.

“I terribly disappointment with the timing of this announcement because had NFF acted early enough, the leadership crisis rocking the NPL would not have reached the scale that it has gotten to now.

“Imagine what it happening with the sponsorship of our dear league and how much money our players are missing because of the way the bidding process was conducted under the leadership of Owumi. If Owumi had been removed a long time ago, we would not have been in this mess.

“Damages have been done, we are just trying to start. In fact, we have not started at all as my matter in court is still there. I went to court to challenge Owumi’s election all because the NFF failed to act on the recommendations of the Arbitration Panel, which was okayed by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA).