FECAFOOT - Elections Amidst Tensions

Never have elections at FECAFOOT incited so much public interest given the fact that a scission has occurred within the federation as the election for the post of president of the federation will pit two former friends, Iya Mohammed and John B. Ndeh who have now become foes.

Iya Mohammed is seen as the candidate of continuity with whom nothing to be expected in terms of change while John B. Ndeh is seen as the candidate for change, with whom FECAFOOT can mend relations with government and usher the modification of the statutory rules and regulations especially the infamous article 4 which grants members to individuals at the level of Divisions.

This is the bone of contention between the pro and anti Iya campaigners, causing the elections to be heated at the lower levels as both currents fight to place their supporters in the Electoral College to influence the outcome of the elections at the national level in their favour.

In addition to the intestinal battles, another conflict has erupted between FECAFOOT and the National Olympic and Sports Committee.

The chamber of conciliation and arbitration has annulled elections in the North and Littoral Regions. Quizzed on the issue, the secretary general of FECAFOOT, Tombi A Roko, said the chamber itself did not respect the law by failing to give the accused fifteen days to prepare their defence as stipulated by the law.

He however said they had twenty days to appeal the decision at the International Court of Arbitration in sports and if this international jurisdiction confirms the verdict, they will repeat the elections in the concerned regions. He said all the necessary preparations have been made, with invitations sent out and the hall hired and they are just waiting for the D-day for the elections to go ahead. Officials of the Olympic Committee declined to comment on the issue saying the chamber is independent.

However in answer to the question concerning the boxing and baseball federations which are in the same situation, the Secretary General of the Olympic Committee said his organisation will not recognise any president emanating from any cancelled elections, supposing that they won't equally recognise presidents coming from the leagues where the elections were cancelled.