As an elder statesman in Nigeria Football and the progenitor of the players union in Nigeria and the African continent, I have listened with rapt attention to the positions of the purported players union I have preferred to call the Amaju Pinnick Players Union and PFAN (General Secretary Emmanuel Babayaro PCITURED).
While PFAN has been very focused and articulate in churning out their formal complaints to relevant authorities and moving on to activate relevant sections of the rule book, while the Amaju Pinnick Players Union is all over the air waves like a headless chicken.
Who will allow a splinter group, a second players union that is initiated, formed and funded by Pinnick?
Who wants to go back to Egypt after 15 years of factionalizing the players union by the NFF?
The players union factions braced all odds to come together on their own volition 11 months ago under a brand new name, the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN) under the leadership of President Tijjani Babangida (MON) and immediately took its place as a bona-fide member of the NFF with due process observed as Nigeria’s players union in line with International best practice.
But out of gross ignorance the Amaju Pinnick Players Union, whose mantra is “We are not fighting anybody” according to their masters instruction, in the figment of their imagination thought the leadership of the NFF can just wake up from sleep and say we don’t know PFAN again, it’s Amaju Pinnick Players Union we know now. Haba !!
Our ex-players must grow up and study the rule books, some of us are too far behind.
Let me break it down the players bloc, coaches, the leagues, the referees and the state FA chairmen which Pinnick belongs to have equal status and are all independent of each other as members of the NFF.
Pinnick cannot interfere in the affairs of the players bloc, we are not supporters club, we are corporate members of the NFF.
My advice to those being used today to distract attention from massive fraud in the NFF and the NPFL and the free fall of Nigeria Football is for them to retrace their steps and come back home. The journey they have embarked on is a fruitless journey.
PFAN has come to stay to change the narrative, the Footballers Bloc must take control and command of Nigeria Football administration come September 2022 NFF Elections.
PFAN is sealed, signed and delivered as a corporate member of the NFF representing the players bloc, the leadership of the NFF cannot change it and has no such powers the rule book is clear and unambiguous.
BY HARRISON JALLA, Chairman PFAN Task Force/Facilitator Project 2022