World Rugby Union Bans Nigeria over Caretaker Committee

By Femi Solaja

The inauguration of Interim committees for for 30 national sporting federations by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports has led to the banning of the

Nigerian Rugby Football Federation by its world and African bodies from further participations in their activities.

In the correspondence between the Nigerian federation and President, Rugby Africa, Mr. Khaled Babbou, sighted by THISDAY, frowned at the Sports Minister’s decision to sack an elected body before completing its tenure. “The dissolution of the duly elected board of NRFF is against the stipulations of the approved Constitution and is highly disruptive for the unions’ operations.

“Consequently, we have no choice but to impose an immediate suspension of Nigeria’s participation in all Rugby Afrique and World Rugby activities until further notice.

“We do appeal in all sincerity that the Ministry allows the federation to follow its approved constitution,” the letter stated.

Mr. Khaled also noted that the replacement of the Board by a handpicked caretaker committee negates the constitution of the NRFF which was ratified at their Extraordinary General Meeting held in Lagos on the 3rd of March 2018, was also formally approved by Rugby Afrique and by World Rugby at the time.

“This constitution, ratified at the National, Regional and Global level as well as the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), represented by its Secretary General specifically stipulates the time and modalities for the elections for a new board of the NRFF which must be held by a duly constituted AGM.

This development made Rugby the second body after athletics to contest the legality of the dissolution and imposition of interim committee to take charge of the federations before the main election in September.