Indeed the footer shouldn't raise an event. (It's like a dead 'row' in the table). Not sure buttons in a table footer do raise events. You're pushing my framework to the very limits

as it was not intended for table footers to contain components.
I know you are way to far into your development, but I would've tried to design a 'block' with a container component. Something like:
----------------------
| tbl1 | container row 1, cell 1
| |
----------------------
| btn1 | btn2 | container row 2, cell 1 & 2
----------------------
That way buttons are not in the footer of the table, but just another component in the container control. They should raise the correct button events.