I am directed by the Normalisation Committee to put you and the general public on notice of the ongoing events at the Gambia Football Federation and most especially the election process which is aimed at electing a new executive bureau that will restore public confidence and trust in Gambian Football.
Update
Having looked at the timeframe given the NC by FIFA, the Normalisation Committee slated the date for the elective congress to be Saturday, 20th September, 2014.
Between the 20th to the 27th of August, 2014, the Normalisation Committee opened nominations for the GFF presidential candidates as per the GFF constitution.
Based on the above call for nominations, five candidates were nominated in the manner that follows:
(a) Mr Omar Danso: Nominated by 2 teams, a senior official of the municipal football association.
(b) Mr Buba Bojang: Nominated by 2 teams, a senior official of a first division team.
(c) Mr Lamin Kaba Bajo: Nominated by 9 teams and one region, a former diplomat and a team official.
(d) Mr Mustapha Kebbeh: Nominated by 3 teams, former GFF president
e) Mr Seedy B Kinteh: Nominated by 1 team and one region, former GFF president.
The Normalisation Committee of the Gambia Football Federation acting under its Fifa appointed mandate to serve as the electoral commission for the organisation of elections into the new executive bureau of GFF, have carefully scrutinised the files of the afore stated nominated candidates and have resolved as follows:
Three candidates have been approved by the NC as eligible to contest for office of the president of the Gambia Football Federation and they are:
a. Mr Omar Danso
b. Mr BubaBojang
c. Mr Lamin Kaba Bajo
The candidates whose nominations are not approved by the NC are:
1. Mr Mustapha Kebbeh
2. Mr Seedy B Kinteh
Reasons NC did not approve the following nominations:
Mr Seedy B Kinteh
The first Normalisation Committee of the Gambia Football Federation was appointed following the dissolution of Seedy B Kinteh-led administration. During the period preceding the dissolution of his administration, an Independent Disciplinary Committee was set up to look into the various allegations that the football stakeholders were making. The disciplinary committee was headed by a prominent human rights lawyer Mr Gaye Sowe and their final report was published with serious recommendations paramount among which was a five-year ban on Seedy Kinteh and all the members of his executive bureau.
The decision of the disciplinary committee was based on very damaging findings. A copy of the said disciplinary committee’s report was duly served on Fifa and for ease of reference and clarification, we will make a copy available for public consumption. Financial recklessness or gross financial misconduct more particularly the misappropriation of Fifa funds which is donated for the development of Gambian football by any individual will result in such a person not being a fit and proper person to run for office of the president of GFF.
The NC in a bid to normalise Gambian football insists on financial discipline as a way to ensure the progress of football in The Gambia.
Furthermore, Seedy B Kinteh has publicly accepted having received money for the Qatari Mohammed Bin Hamman during his bid for the Fifa presidency which to this NC is a clear case of receiving money in exchange for favours. Such conduct is unethical and any person who indulges in acts of that nature is not trustworthy enough to manage the affairs of Gambian Football.
In our mandate to normalise the state of Gambian football and usher in a development-oriented executive therefore, we have unanimously come to the conclusion that Seedy B Kinteh is not legible for the top job of football in The Gambia.
Consequently, his candidature is not approved by the normalisation committee.
Mr Mustapha Kebbeh
Mustapha Kebbeh on the other hand headed an executive committee that brought disrepute to Gambian football and to the image of The Gambia by fielding over-aged players in an international match.
That instead of accepting wrongdoing after such an embarrassing dishonesty and misconduct, he continued to blame Caf and the former Normalisation Committee and failed to take responsibility.
That Fifa had in their letter appointing the Normalisation Committee stated clearly that his administration failed to take responsibility and continued to blame Caf. (The NC will make the letter available for public consumption).
Furthermore, the Gambian public has lost confidence in his ability and capability to manage the affairs of Gambian football and related well with the relevant stakeholders such as the Gambian public, Caf and Fifa which necessitated the appointment of a normalisation committee.
The NC also discovered to its greatest dismay that even though the report of an independent disciplinary committee suspended the Seedy B Kinteh-led administration after cogent findings of gross financial misconduct for the misappropriation of Fifa funds meant for the development of Gambia football, Mustapha Kebbeh without authority overturned the decision of the panel without reviewing the findings that led to their suspension. Consequently, the NC holds as a fact that his actions were not in the interest of Gambian football to have disregarded the fact that money that was meant for football development was converted for personal use and it meant nothing to Kebbeh and his executive bureau.
In our mandate to normalise the State of Gambian football therefore, we have come to the conclusion that he is not eligible for the top job of football in The Gambia.
Your usual support, cooperation and advice is always highly appreciated.”
Ba Jabbi
GFF spokesman on election matters
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