. Alleges habitual player layoffs without recourse to FIFA rules
By Oyez Olatunde Rex
A group of ex-kwara United FC players that were laid-off after the 2014/2015 football season have dragged the management of the club to the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) player status committee, over delay in the payment of their 10-year-old sign-on emoluments.
Recall that recently, the group of erstwhile Kwara United players, had through their counsel, Exact Legal Associates, given a 7-day-ultimatum to the club Management to defray the sum of N196.4m, being a total collective sign-on fees of the Ex-Players owed them since 2014/2015.
National Moonlight reports that following an expiration of the 7-day-ultimatum, counsel to the aggrieved Ex-Players have escalated the matter to the Players Status Committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the apex football ruling body in the country.
In a copy of the submitted escalation petition, signed by Y.Y Ajibade esq. counsel to the group, apart from the expression of the group’s grievance on the unpaid emoluments, allegations were further laid against the Ilorin based club as being in the habit of laying off players without recourse to FIFA rules guiding such.
“They are in the habit of laying off players without recourse to FIFA rules yet refuse to pay their emoluments. Rot in their system and financial misappropriation is a manifestation of lack of check and balancing and no transparency within their management system ” the petition alleged.
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The group in their petition further called on the NFF to thoroughly investigate and look into the affairs of Kwara United FC, urging appropriate sactions where the club is found wanting.
National Moonlight spoke to counsel to the aggrieved Ex-Players, Y.Y Ajibade esq. On why the escalation of a matter that can be resolved in house within the state, he expressed a feeling of frustration at the continual delay tactics of counsel to the football club Management, who continued to propose aborted meetings in the past two weeks.
According to Barrister Ajibade, the plight of the concerned Ex-Players, their economic situations and their helplessness in the face of a seeming nonchalance, demanded an appeal to a higher authority in the industry.
“This especially is coming at a time when Kwara sports sector is visibly executing projects valued in billions. So how much is N196m compared to the project values? These players, numbering over 200 laboured, built the club to its present status. It is only fair to pay their emoluments which have been owed over 10 years”
Efforts to get a reaction to these developments and allegations from the Kwara United media aide were unsuccessful as he declined picking several calls placed to his known line.
