Buba Mbaye Bojang, former Gambia Football Federation (GFF) presidential candidate has described the recent appointments made by GFF President Lamin Kaba Bajo to the GFF Executive as a serious violation of the GFF Statutes.
In a media release made available to Point Sports, Bojang who signed the letter addressed to the Secretary General of the GFF on behalf of Concerned GFF Members added that, going by the constitution they demand the decision of the GFF Executive Committee be rescinded with immediate effect and the provisions in the Statutes be respected, upheld and followed at all times.
Below we reproduce the full text of the release for the benefit of our readers.
THE EXECUTIVE DECISION ON HONORARY MEMBERS, CO-OPTED MEMBERS AND ADVISER
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, upheld 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.
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