The legal battle between Total Promotions Limited (TPL) and the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) over the broadcast right of the league may not be over soon.
An official of TPL revealed that the body had the broadcast rights for the Nigeria Premier League from 2010-2011 season to 2018-2019, adding, however, that they were abruptly stopped from exercising the rights in 2013 by the defunct League Management Company (LMC), which was recently replaced by the IMC.
He said since then, Total Promotions has been fighting to reclaim the league title right.
In a notice dated February 17, 2023, made available to The Guardian, solicitors for TPL wrote to the IMC chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye and also copied the Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, GTI Group and SuperSports International, informing them of a window to resolve the lingering title rights issues, which according to them, had been severally breached by different organisers of the league.
“It is important to note that while there may be a succession of managers or operators of the Nigeria Premier League/Nigeria Football league/Nigeria Professional Football League, contracts and liabilities made or incurred by previous managers or operators of the same league cannot be disregarded or wished away.
“Such contracts and liabilities shall endure and must be so treated as part of the assets and liabilities of the league management body. It is on this note that we must keep you abreast of the historic contractual relationship between our client and the Nigeria Premier League/Nigeria Football League that dates back to 2006,” the letter reads.
When contacted, IMC’s Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi said: “I have seen series of reports on social media about the letter from TPL. To me, that is not the best channel, as far as such issue is concerned. Matter of legality should be settled in court.
“Sincerely speaking, I don’t know anything about the said contract between TPL and the then LMC. I don’t know the content and condition of their contract, the duration, and whether it has elapsed or not. But when you talk of broadcast right, a lot of things have changed. Broadcast right these days have live screening, radio broadcast, terrestrial television, among others,” he stated. Speaking further, Owunmi stated that he was angry with one of the social media reports titled: ‘Open Letter to Davidson Owumi.’
“In the first place, Owumi is not IMC. Yes, I agree that the owner of TPL and I have come a long way, but we must separate friendship or family relationship from matters like this. If their lawyers have written to IMC, they should expect response.”
It was learnt yesterday that a recent move by some top officials of the IMC to bring back SuperSports to broadcast the Nigerian league was shunned by the South African satellite television because of the lingering battle with Total Promotions Limited. – Guardian.
