If one is a consistent reader of my write-ups or a visitor of my web site regularly, he or she will agree with me that the recently released Election Time Table of the election into the Kano FA is nothing other than the display of ignorance and shame which is aimed to killed football in Kano state.
This is because before the release of the Shehu Buhari, the secretary of the association timetable to the public on Monday the 15th April 2023, I have written severally to be precise three times drawing the attention of the Kano FA to respect the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) via a letter with reference number NFF/SG/245/Vol.1/MA/79, titled STATES FOOTBALL AND LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS dated 16th January, 2023.
The letter which was addressed to all FA Secretaries and other Affiliates Associations in the country directed them to organize and conduct credible elections for the emergence of new officers between the months of February to March 2023 and forward the lists of elected officials to the Secretary General.
But the Kano State Football Association under the supervision of the Secretary General Malam Shehu Buhari did not comply or show any readiness to obey the NFF directives.
I remembered educating Kano FA in my first write-up, titled “Council/FA elections: What is Kano FA delaying for?” that the chairman of Kwara State Football Association, Idris Abdullahi announced that the elections into local government football councils in Kwara State will be conducted before the end of March 2023 while that of the State FA before the month of June.
Similarly, in my second write-up titled “Council/FA elections: Kano FA treading on a dangerous path”, I reminded the executives of the present Kano Football Association on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) directives to all FAs nationwide particularly those that their tenure had expired to conduct fresh in both the FAs and Local Councils without delay.
In that piece I clearly told Kano FA that more associations like Bauchi State Football Association and Edo State Football Associations have followed the steps of Kwara FA and have since commenced the process of electing new members.
Also in my third write-up on the matter which appear last Friday 12th of May 2023, titled “Councils/FAs Elections: What is Kano FA hiding?”, I intimated the Kano FA that another set of State Football Associations have joined Kwara and Edo with elections preparations. Those states include Oyo State FA, Gombe FA and Nassarawa State FA.
All these states have made their decisions known to the public in a communique after either their Extra Ordinary General Assembly, stakeholders or congress meetings.
It was after these meetings that they announced the appointment of Electoral and Election Appeal Committees as follows.
From the above, one can see the readiness and commitment of some state Football Associations to do what is right and needful but not for Kano FA. Why is Kano different?
But surprisingly, instead of Kano FA to do the same they opted for another that is vague and ambiguous to understand.
What we see is Shehu Buhari releasing an election timetable which was not what we expected from him or the secrtariat.
First of all how can Shehu Buhari singlehandedly closed himself in his office and designed a calendar that has no input from other stakeholders? What is he trying to do or hide? And whose interest is he protecting?
How can Shehu Buhari released an election timetable on Monday morning of 15th of May 2023 with no date attached and unfolded that the election process was commenced on 8 of May 2023 with the sales of forms from 12th of May to 15th of May 2023.
By that Shehu Buhari’s timetable, the screening and the released of screened candidates have since taken place. And the elections is taking place today. How is that possible?
The question that comes to my mind after going through Shehu Buhari’s letter was, what is he or the FA trying to hide or afraid of?
Shehu Buhari should know going or doing anything contrary to the NFF directives was as good as not doing anything because it is not going to be acceptable.
According to the NFF directives, it clearly directed for council’s election first before the FA elections. And committees of men of proven integrity must be put in place to oversee the elections and appeals.
And before the elections the FA is expected to announce the names of the committee to handle the elections and those to serve in the Appeal Committee before the stakeholders as employed by all the states that set their elections dates.
So what I expect from Shehu Buhari, the Secretary General of Kano State Football Association is as follows:-
1. Calling for FA Congress soon
2. File the agenda
3. Adopt the agenda
4. Congress decides on the following:
a) Exco and Secretariat tenure of office in the last 4 years.
3. Audit report.
4. Formation of electoral and appeal committees.
5. Dates for Council’s and FA elections.
6. To give chance for elections guidelines and modalities by electoral committee.
7. Any other matter.
Shehu Buhari needs to help the system by doing the right thing. Because doing anything that will favor some against others is not only bad but unconstitutional and will not be acceptable.
Shehu Buhari should know that at his age by now he is an elder and should not be in any form of unholy arrangement simply because he want to put smile at the faces of his others.
I expect Shehu Buhari to be fair to all by doing the right thing.
He should remember that this is the type of evil deeds that is retarding our soccer backward and is the same act that used to lead us to litigation.
Mu tuna fa, duk fadin gona…
