Analyst says GFF is blameless
Former Gambia Football Federation presidential candidate Buba Mbye Bojang, has written to the GFF urging the body to rescind the recent appointments of people in to the executive committee as the manner of the appointments contravened the federation’s constitution.
Mr Bojang who claimed he is representing concern members of the GFF said the violations of the GFF legal statutes cannot be ignore if the moral and legal status of the GFF is to be protected and preserved.
Last week the GFF announced it has expanded its executive committee by confirming and co-opting at least six people into the executive committee.
Below is the full text of the letter which has been copied to the press:
“Your press release dated 1st October 2014 refers; “GFF BEEFS UP Ex CO MEMBERSHIP”
We noted with concern the following appointments which involve;
(1) The Re-conferment of Honorary Life President on Alhagie O. B Conateh;
(2) The conferment of Honorary Life Vice President on Alhagie Salifu K. Jaiteh;
(3) The conferment of membership on Alhagie Sosseh Colley;
(4) The Appointment of Alhagie Omar Sey as Adviser;
(5) The Appointment of Mr Bakary K Jammeh the brother of the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports as Co-opted member of the GFF Executive Committee.
(6) The Appointment of Major Musa Jammeh as Co-opted Executive member.
That, the aforementioned persons, shall have the full executive powers with immediate effect.
We wish to draw your attention to the fact that this decision of the GFF Executive Committee is a serious violation of the GFF Statutes which one cannot just ignore in order to protect and preserve the legal and moral values of GFF. We refer to the following clauses of the GFF Statutes for ease of reference and understanding.
(7) ARTICLE 20 : – HONORARY MEMBERSHIP
20.1 The General Assembly may confer Honorary Membership on any person in recognition of meritorious service to the GFF or special contribution to the development of football in The Gambia.
20.2 The Executive Committee shall make the nomination for conferment of Honorary Membership.
20.3 The Honorary Members may take part in the General Assembly Debates but shall have no right to vote.
(8) ARTICLE- 24: AREAS OF AUTHORITY – Para. J
The General Assembly shall have the following authority amongst them paragraph (j) “Deciding upon the nomination of the executive committee, whether to bestow the honorary membership on any person”.
(9) ARTICLE 34: GFF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
34.1 The GFF shall be governed by an Executive Committee consisting of the following (15) fifteen members: –
(a) The President;
(b) The First Vice President
(c) The Second Vice President
(d) The Third Vice President
(e) Seven other members who shall represent each of the Regional Football Associations; and
(f) Four other members, two of whom shall be women and one of whom shall be a retired referee.
34.2 The members of the Executive Committee shall be elected individually by the General Assembly; every candidate of the Executive Committee member must be proposed by at least one member, Members of the Regional football Association shall be elected by the Region and confirmed by the GFF general Assembly
(10) Based on the aforementioned articles of the GFF Statutes, we here-by draw your attention to the following;
(I) The Executive Committee can only make the nomination for conferment of Honorary
Membership;
(II) The General Assembly confers Honorary Membership on any person;
(III) The positions of Advisor and co-opted membership in the Executive Committee do not
exist in the GFF statutes.
(11) Powers of the Executive Committee are vested only on the elected members by the General Assembly as enshrined in the GFF statutes. Therefore, it is a total contravention of our statutes, legally and morally wrong to bestow such powers on others without the engagement and approval of the General Assembly.
In view of the aforementioned, we demand that this decision of the GFF Executive Committee be rescinded with immediate effect and the provisions in the Statutes must be respected, uphold and followed at all times.
By a copy of this letter, FIFA, CAF and all the GFF members are hereby duly informed of this gross violation of the GFF Statutes.”
Thank You
Yours Faithfully,
………………………………
Buba Mbaye Bojang
Former GFF Presidential Candidate
For and on behalf of the Concerned Members of GFF
Meanwhile The Standard yesterday contacted the president of the GFF Lamin Kaba Bajo for comments who said he has nothing to say about the matter as he has not officially received anything on the matter at the GFF level. ”We have far more challenging and bigger pieces of work to focus on as a nation,” he assured.
However, The Standard also contacted an analyst of the GFF constitution who referred to Article 36 which dealt with the powers of the executive.
He said sub-section O of the article states; “The executive may delegate task arising out if its area of authority to other bodies of the GFF or third parties.
It went further in sub- section P to state; “The executive shall generally do all things necessary or expedient for the due conduct of the affairs of the federation not otherwise provided for”’.
According to our analysts these sections virtually absolves the GFF executive from any blame on this matter.
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