Not less than eight NPFL clubs were dragged to the Nigeria Football Federation Players Status and Arbitration Committee, (PSAC)who rounded up it’s first sitting in 2025 on Saturday, Sports247 reports.
More than 40% of clubs in the NPFL were dragged to the Committee, they include Plateau United, Bendel Insurance, Bayelsa United, Lobi Stars, Akwa United, Heartland FC, Sunshine Stars FC, 3SC, Kwara United, Abia Warriors, Wikki Tourists, Gombe United FC and others, with citing various contractual breaches as the clubs, lawyers and representatives took their to turn to position and defend their case.
The body led by Otunba Sunday Dele Ajayi sat over disputed contractual obligations between clubs and players from the 26 February and 1 March 2025 in Abuja.
This is the third sitting since the body was inaugurated early 2024 by the Ibrahim Gusau led NFF board.
Like a raging fire in dry season, the body would take decisions awarding various sums of compensation and fines in lieu sporting fines of transfer ban, in favour of clubs, players and coaches.
Though some of the clubs resisted the fines initially and went ahead to violate the sporting sanctions in previous decisions but their lawless and impunity was resisted vehemently by the PSAC and the NPFL has no options than to implement the sporting sanctions until the clubs cowed in and paid the compensations due to the players, other clubs and fines.
The Management of the NPFL were also summoned to appear before the committee to state the reasons NPFL refused to enforce the transfer ban placed on Abia Warriors FC and Akwa United who refused to abide by the decisions of the committee to pay former players discounted compensation awarded since 14th June 2024.
Some Clubs also opted for withdrawal of cases before the committee to explore alternate dispute resolution channels by engaging the counter parties to see to the possibility of mutual terms of settlement of such disputes.
In the light of this, it’s a case of fear and hope after the proceedings as feelers have it that majority of the clubs have started lobbying for soft landing as their defense fell flat and hold no waters while aggrieved coaches, players and clubs are hopeful of another landmark judgments in their favour as the committee will be communicating their decisions in due cause after hearing from both parties.
It is high time the management of the NPFL takes the welfare of players and coaches in the NPFL very seriously, the consistent breaches and unlawful termination of contracts by the NPFL clubs is not good for the image of the league.
The NPFL frameworks empower the body to pass summary jurisdiction over cases of breach of contracts, its behooves on the NPFL management led by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeye and its COO Mr. Davidson Owumi to perform the obligations and roles they are appointed to do.
The foundation laid by the former league czar and current Chairman of the National Sports Commission Mallam Shehu Dikko is so glaring for everyone to see.
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