LMC bids to resolve licence issues, says it is legally situated in football laws

NFF President, Amaju Pinnick (right) and LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko.

The League Management Company (LMC), which has been managing Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), has started moves to resolve issues bordering on its legality and right to continue overseeing the NPFL.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development recently withdrew its recognition of the LMC as operator of the NPFL, saying the body is illegal and has no place in Nigerian football statute.

The ministry advised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to withdraw the licence given to the LMC to operate the league and in its stead appoint an Interim Management Committee (IMC), which will “include the current Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer to oversee the league until a proper Professional League Board is constituted in accordance with the statutes of the NFF.”

Reacting to the ministry’s decision, yesterday, the LMC in a statement, insisted that it is “legally situated both in Football laws/regulations (NFF and FIFA Statutes) and Nigeria’s corporate laws (CAC Act).”

It urged stakeholders in the league to remain calm while it tries to resolve the issues with the ministry and the NFF.

Then statement reads: “The LMC Ltd wishes to call for calm from all its participating clubs, sponsors and partners and stakeholders, as it will in conjunction with NFF be engaging the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to provide clarifications to ensure all parties are on the same page and keep acting within the realm of its authority.

“Fundamentally, the protection of the integrity of the NPFL, which the LMC Ltd has been toiling over the last decade to build, in spite of the challenges, is most paramount at all times.”

The LMC said it issued the