GFA elections put on hold

King Faisal, a Division One League (DOL) club, has filed a writ at an Accra High Court to place an injunction on the 2023 Ghana Football Association (GFA) Elective Congress which is scheduled for Thursday, September 27, in Tamale.

As a result, the GFA has put the election timetable on hold until further notice to ensure the legal issue is heard by the court to avoid contempt of court.

Per the writ, King Faisal argued that on a true and a proper interpretation of Article 30, 31, 32(2)(q) and 37(1) of the GFA statute, no valid Congress can be held to elect a national president for the association unless new representatives for the Executive Council had been properly elected or appointed.

Again, the applicant claimed that the opening of nomination for the election of a new national president for the association before elections are held for representatives for the Executive Council was wrong and unlawful.

Breach of statute

“Plaintiff avers that per the letter and spirit of Article 37(1) of the GFA Statutes 2019, the framers and drafters of the statutes envisaged that there must be representatives from the various constituent bodies who would in turn be in a better and a valid position of electing the overall president in order to constitute the National Executive Council afterwards. This is normal practice we see everywhere in the world,” the statement read.

The club is therefore, praying the court for an order of injunction on the GFA unless and until elections are duly conducted for representatives from the National League Clubs, the regional football associations and constituent bodies.

GFA’s response

A statement on the FA website said, “The Ghana Football Association has decided to put the 2023 GFA Election Timetable on hold. This follows a motion filed at the high court by King Faisal FC.” 

“The GFA ,therefore, wishes to inform all its members and stakeholders (especially applicants who have filed their nomination forms for various positions) of the suspension of the 2023 GFA Elections process until the hearing of the motion on Wednesday, August 30, 2023,” the statement read further.

The statement also urged members of the association, clubs and applicants to remain calm while the association seeks appropriate legal redress for the prompt return to the 2023 Election Timetable and ensure that the calendar is not further disrupted.