Chief Victor Rumson Baribote was yesterday in Abuja declared the duly-elected chairman of the Nigeria Premier League, at an election organised by the NPL Electoral Committee and supervised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The declaration of Chief Baribote as NPL chairman by the Electoral Committee followed the award of an Arbitration Tribunal headed by Professor Ibidapo Obe and upheld by a Federal High Court, Abuja on August 2, nullifying the May 8, 2010, poll that brought in Davidson Owumi.
An expectant atmosphere prevailed at the FIFA Technical Centre, National Stadium Complex, Abuja, early in the morning, and the arrival of representatives of 15 of the 20 Premier League clubs and the Electoral Committee members came within minutes of the arrival of the President of NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, 1st Vice President Mike Umeh and other members of the NFF Executive Committee.
In his opening remark, NFF President Aminu Maigari traced the events leading to yesterday’s election, and then quoted from the Federal High Court order of August 2, 2011: “The 1st Defendant (NFF) shall, as a consequential order, within 30 days hereof, and in any event, not exceeding a total of 45 days hereof, organise within the extant provisions of its Statutes…and the Nigeria Premier League Statutes a fresh election to fill the offices of Chairman of Nigeria Premier League and Chairman of Chairmen of Nigeria Premier League…”
Following the declaration of the Chairman of the NPL Electoral Committee, Hon. Auwal Baba Jada that Baribote is duly elected chairman of NPL and Honourable Abdulazeez Mohammed the Chairman of Chairmen, NFF President Aminu Maigari also declared that Baribote automatically becomes the 2nd Vice President of the NFF.
In his acceptance speech, Baribote promised to reconcile all members of the Premier League family and work harmoniously with the Nigeria Football Federation to bring real growth and renaissance to the domestic game.
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