Missing N38m: NFF yet to query NPL (Check their personal bank accounts)

Posted by admin Headlines, Soccer, Sports, Track & Field Friday, November 2nd, 2012

The Nigeria Premier League board has denied that they have been queried by the Nigeria Football Federation over the alleged missing N38m from the television broadcast rights of the league. The NPL Secretary Mr. Tunji Babalola who spoke with The PUNCH on the telephone on Thursday said that everything known so far on the matter were via the media. Our correspondent had called to confirm if the NPL had responded to the query the NFF announced that they issued over the missing cash.

“We have not responded because we are yet to receive any such query from them (NFF). We can only answer a memo sent to us and in this case I have not seen any from the NFF,” Babalola said.

When reminded that the NFF issued a press statement detailing that a query had been sent to the NPL board, the Secretary insisted it was not in their file.

He said, “I suggest you go back to them to confirm if they actually sent it.”

The PUNCH had called the NFF President Alhaji Aminu Maigari last week to get the deadline given for the response from the NPL and to which he said 36 hours. On Thursday, we also called him after speaking with Babalola but he referred to the NFF Secretary Mr. Musa Amadu as he was out of the country.

Amadu responded to our inquiry thus, “Did he say he has not received any letter to that effect? No problem, you will get all the details when the response is received from them and deliberated upon.”

The Nigeria Football Federation queried the leadership of the Nigeria Premier League in respect of allegations of inappropriate management of funds related to broadcast right fees, as contained in the report of its auditors. The auditors’ report was exclusively published by The PUNCH on October 18 and 19.

Maigari then issued a statement on the 20th through the federation’s Chief Media Officer Ademola Olajire and which read, “The NFF is highly concerned for the integrity of the Nigeria Premier League, which has been built to a presentable brand as a result of over 20 years of hard work, and which was recently rated as best in Africa.

“We cannot afford to fold our arms and remain silent over such a matter that directly attacks the credibility of an important aspect of the Nigeria game.

“The NFF is deeply concerned and we are determined to get to the root of this matter.”

The NFF had said that they were only awaiting response from the leadership of the NPL before taking further action.

-Punchwp_posts