The relative peace enjoyed by stakeholders in the nation’s handball family appears to have eroded, with power blocs in Lagos and Abuja poised to return to the trenches, despite a truce called to quench the spate of litigation. , who have somehow threatened the Serenity Ward in the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), for some time now.
In one of the cases, already resolved, an FCT High Court chaired by Judge Alfred Okpe, based in Nyanya, Abuja; fired the current player representative on the HFN board, Joseph Udale, and ordered new elections, which we can tell you on good authority could have far-reaching implications for both the current HFN Board, led by Sam Ocheho, and other boards of sports federations. , who erred by not adhering to the guidelines for voting for Players and Technical Representatives.
Meanwhile, Mr. Udalle is about to appeal that decision, which he described as a judicial error; the ceasefire negotiated after another court ruling on October 19, 2022 in a Freedom of Information (FOI) case FHC/ABJ/CS/1356/2021 instituted by a former Nigerian international handball player and referee, Benjamin Ewaoche Obe, against HFN president Sam Ocheho, and joining the IGP, the Ministry of Sports and two anti-corruption agencies; he was blown to pieces.
The turnaround came after Mr. Ocheho chose to appeal Judge IE Ekwo’s ruling, which was not in his favour, instead of allowing the sleeping dog to lie, as expressed by the disputing parties and their mediator.
Upset by the development, the claimant Mr Obe hinted at a cross appeal to get the court to grant one of his sentences, in the lower court, for the EFCC and ICPC to force the HFN Boss to open their books and give information freely. about the transactions he has made on behalf of the HFN, beyond 2019 and up to 2021.
While Mr. Obe insists that Mr. Ocheho make all his transactions as HFN Chairman public, including details of bank accounts operated, sponsorship money and government funds received and how they are spent; Mr. Ocheho believes that the lower court ruling missed the point and cannot be relied on.
He said that his complaint is specifically against Mr. Obe, because he has provided financial information in congress and also in board meetings until 2019; he is absolutely certain that he has fulfilled his duties under the FOI Act, and disagrees with the ruling making it mandatory for him to provide the same information to Mr. Obe in his personal capacity.
“I have talked about finances in press sessions, so I don’t agree with him, as a person, asking me to provide him with information. They took me to court as an opposition and since they still act as such, I think I have every right to appeal. I appealed because I would not let anyone demand a ransom from me in the future,” Ocheho said.
