A member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Abiola Ajaja at the weekend condemned pay disparity between the Super Eagles and the Super Falcons following the report that the male team earn the sum of $10,000 as match bonus while the female team are entitled to the sum of $1,000.

The female lawmaker who represents Ibadan North East and South East Federal Constituency in the House gave the condemnation against the back drop of a report credited to the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF technical committee chairman, Barrister Chris Green who ruled out the possibility of even remuneration between Super Eagles and the Super Falcons.

Barrister Green was quoted as saying,"The equity is not equal when it comes to the men and the women counterparts. At the World Cup the take home for the men can't be compared with the women at the same tournament".

"But what we're trying to do is to improve on what we give them as remuneration. They're on a new scale which is good but it won't get close to the Super Eagles. Most of the Eagles' players play in top clubsides, these women predominantly play in Nigeria. So the difference is there but we shall get there someday," he maintained.

The situation according to the lawmaker, "raises gender issues, but I need to be emphatic that it is more of a constitutional matter than gender because the latter already accommodates issues of the former in Section 42 of our basic law, in view of which the above statement, reportedly by the NFF official, reek of flagrant disregard for the rule of law".

Quoting section 42 (1a&b) of the 1999 constitution as amended which read: "  42. (1) A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:-

(A) be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions are not made subject; or
(b) be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions".

To this end, she said, "this kind of unlawful assurances by our officials will not stand in the face of the law and to this extent, such administrative actions, pronouncements or discretion of the NFF or any other person-natural or artificial and subject to Nigeria law are hereby declared illegal and unconstitutional and therefore null and void to the extent of their contravention of the constitution".

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