The Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), Kwara State chapter, has insisted that a recent court retraining the Kwara Football Association be respected and that it’s right to vote as critical stakeholders in the round leather game be reinstated.
The association filed a suit at an Ilorin Upper Court, which has since restrained the FA from conducting the June 13 elections to be held in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state, meant to usher in a new administration for the soccer administrative body in the state.
Speaking at a Press Conference on Saturday, June 10, 2023, the Chairman of the PFAN, Kwara State chapter, Coach Ashifat Sulyman accused the Chairman of Kwara FA, Mallam Idris Abdullahi Musa of arrogating powers that he doesn’t have to himself by his decision to deny player’s union from participating in the Elective Congress.
Sulyman maintained that the players are the most important entity of football and the union will not succumb to any form of pressure or threats from the Chairman of Kwara FA to deny them their rights as contained in Article 10.1 of the Statues of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF).
“As a law abiding association that believes in powers associated with dialogue and consultation, we have written series of letters to the Chairman of Kwara FA to see the danger of his primitive act of desperation but in his way, he refuse to thread on the path of honour and dignity to retract his decision”.
While stating that the union was left with no option after exhausting all forms of dialogue with the FA than to seek a redress in a court of competent jurisdiction, he said, however, that PFAN had participated in elective congress in more than 20 states across the federation and that of Kwara State shouldn’t be an exception.
Coach Sulyman revealed that the union has opened a channel of dialogue with the Kwara FA and is willing to withdraw the suit of the restraining order provided that FA acknowledges its statutory participation in the elective congress officially.
“The FA called us to a meeting this morning and they have expressed their willingness to allow our union to be part of the election but we will only believe them if they communicate with us officially with a letter.
While stressing that the election will not hold on June 13 due to the restraining order and the hearing that is scheduled for June 14, he noted that the union will only consider the withdrawal of the suit in court if the FA does the right thing.
Ashifat thanked stakeholders for supporting the union and maintained that the body will not be intimidated in fighting for its right and development of football in the State.
