NPFL faults broadcast rights’ claims by Total Promotions

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has asked the public and potential partners to disregard Total Promotions’ claims to the broadcast rights of the league.

In a statement titled, “Re-clarifications regarding claims made by Total Promotions,” the Nigeria Premier League Limited/Gte described the claims as totally unfounded with no legal validity.

The statement made available to The Guardian reads: “We wish to reiterate that these claims made by ‘Total Promotions Limited’ are entirely unfounded, factually incorrect and devoid of any legal validity.”

It offered judicial backing of the expressed position of the NPFL with a reference to a 2010 judgement by a Federal High Court judge, who ordered liquidation of the Nigeria Football League Limited, the body that granted broadcast rights to Total Promotions in 2006.

“Note that in Suit No. FHC/ ABJ/ CS/179/2010 (Sam Jaja vs Nigeria Football League Ltd and four others), Justice Okorowo of the Federal High Court gave a judgement ordering the mandatory winding up of NFL Limited, the entity that granted the broadcast rights to Total Promotions.”

It posited that the 2010 judgement invalidated all rights assigned to Total Promotions. “By the judgement, all rights assigned to Total Promotions by the Nigeria Football League Ltd became extinguished as the later was consequently stripped of the license to organise a league,” the statement continued.

Relying on positions of the law on contracts, the NPFL canvassed that “the concept of ‘frustration of contract’ and ‘force majeure’ are recognised under Nigeria’s Contract Laws.

“The execution of the contract between Total Promotions and NFL Limited became impossible after the later became insolvent and was wound up by the Court.”

The NPFL also