As March 20 LFA Election Draws Nearer:

MONROVAIA – Amidst apprehension on the part of the World football governing body, FIFA, regarding the holding of the Liberia Football Association’s elections on Saturday, March 20, stakeholders are still expressing fear and are allegedly accusing the leadership of the local football house of conspiracy designed to postpone elections.

They cite the failure of the LFA to distribute congressional documents up to the present and are claiming that Article X of the revised LFA Constitution, which states that “the general secretariat shall notify the Members of the names of the proposed candidates at least two months before the date of the Congress,” is being violated.

Michael S. Gilayeneh, president of female outfit, Blanco FC, speaking on behalf of Women’s Football, told Daily Observer Sports over the weekend that his camp has unearthed tactics by the S. Izetta Wesley-led administration to attempt to “selfishly and illegally” stall the March 20 congress in order to buy more time to campaign and attend the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, which runs from June 11 to July 11.

“It is with great consternation that those who assumed leadership on the strength of the statute would elect to heartlessly sidestep legality and would shamelessly decide to employ unnecessary delay tactics with the sole intent of buying time, which is purely intended to lay the basis to ironically legitimize chronic illegitimacy, which would strongly militate against not only the democratic process, but would as well erect unnecessary hurdles and checkpoints in the path of the growth and development of football in our common patrimony.

“Contrary to expectation of the current leadership of the LFA that they will receive support from FIFA in hiding themselves behind the thin veil of no FIFA approved statute and unnecessary stall congress, FIFA, aware of the realities, has informed the LFA on two occasions that it can proceed without any delay whatsoever with congress and its associated formalities and activities, particularly elections that will certainly produce a new leadership elected by congress to preside over the magistracy of the LFA for the next four years,” the Female Football representative asserted.

Gilayeneh, in an angry tone, declared that should the current leadership fail to hold elections on Saturday, March 20, sitting LFA President, Izetta Wesley, Vice Presidents Pennoh Bestman and Adolph Lawrence, as well as members of the Executive Committee of the LFA, will be booted out in any manner available.

“Let it be clear to all the stakeholders, particularly the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Liberia National Olympic Committee, that if all fails [in getting] the current leadership to see reason to live up to the spirit and intent of the law, we will certainly not fail to boot them out in any manner available to us as the most ideal alternative to a selfish leadership that does not see beyond its nose.

“Finally, we call on the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Liberia Olympic Committee in particular to immediately intervene now and not later to save the LFA from problem. It is a historical reality that when a leadership that is elected statutorily refuses to allow the statute to prevail in determining its successor, the ones in whose hands power lies – in the case of the LFA – we the stakeholder, certainly have an option,” Gilayeneh warned.

The Blanco boss is also accusing the LFA secretariat of allegedly violating the statute, saying that “to even worsen the already bad performance of the secretariat and reckless disregard for proper discharge of statutory responsibilities, the secretariat has dismally and abysmally failed to publish the guidelines for elections at congress.”

The female representative is accusing the secretariat of falling short of its functions according to Article XXXIII, Section 10.5 of the statue, which states: “the General Secretary shall be responsible to ensure the implementation of all decisions of the Executive Committee, Standing and Ad-hoc Committees of the LFA”.
“This facet of the law should definitely place the secretariat in a better position to act now, but the Acting Secretary General, Mr. Sam Bedford, a Masters Degree holder, has succumbed to Cllr. Izetta, which is now painting him black,” Gilayeneh lamented.

When contacted via phone, the secretariat of the LFA described the allegation of Gilayeneh and his followers as an unfortunate charade. As mandated by congress, he said, elections will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2010.

Concerning the distribution of congressional documents, the secretariat only promised to distribute congressional documents prior to elections.

“Let it be known that the Secretariat is subject to decision of the Executive Committee of the LFA, who has absolute power and oversight responsibility of the running of football in Liberia.
“The Secretariat does not operate in a vacuum; it propagates decisions from the Executive Committee,” the LFA secretariat stated.

Meanwhile, reports say FIFA’s West Africa Development Officer, Samson Kablan, has informed the LFA through its secretariat that it has postponed all courses intended for the LFA owing to the pending elections, which is expected to be held on Saturday, March 20, 2010.

The local football’s Beach Soccer Course and other courses, which are to be held in June and July, have been cancelled also in anticipation of the World Cup.

This latest development is an indication that FIFA is fully aware of the pending LFA elections and its importance. Reports further say that FIFA has already begun putting in place the necessary frame work to ensure that such exercise takes place.