Amoni Biambo, the Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation Electoral Committee, on Thursday said elections into the association’s board would hold as scheduled on August 26 in Abuja.
Biambo told newsmen in Abuja that Tuesday’s move by the Aminu Maigari-led NFF board for the elections’ postponement was uncalled for.
He also said there was the need for the elections to hold in Abuja in view of certain activities by some individuals preparatory to the elective congress.
The committee chairman, who did not name the individuals, said the venue had to be Abuja for security reasons.
Biambo said: “I believe there is no confusion in the elections’ timetable.
“The congress is the highest body and the things which have developed between November 2013 when it took this decision and now have not happened.
“The house is one indivisible body.
“Security was in order and based on their own wisdom, they took that decision.
“As an independent body, FIFA says adopt and adapt.
“But based on force majeure, we are saying the elective congress should be in Abuja.”
Biambo also said time had come for the series of letters alleged to have emanated from FIFA to be screened to ascertain their true source.
Biambo further said FIFA had earlier given assurances of sending observers to the NFF congress and wondered why the same FIFA would write to take a different position.
He said: “FIFA is not invisible but visible.
“FIFA does not stamp authorities over federations.
“It advises.
“When you read the lines of FIFA genuinely, you will know what it means.
“However, I have not received any letter from FIFA or NFF directing that elections should not hold.
“As it stands now, nobody, including the NFF Chairman, can stop the elections.
“The only body that has the powers to do that is the congress, which is the supreme body, and to convene a congress to stop the committee, you must give members a 30-day notice.
“Apart from the 30-day notice, members must go into a voting, not by a simple majority but a two-thirds majority, to stop the elections.
“It’s a herculean task.”
The electoral committee chairman said his committee was not there to do the bidding of any group or individual but was out to respect the rule of law and do things the right way.
Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Assistant Director of Communications, had on Thursday in a statement said FIFA had endorsed the association’s plan to shift the elections.
Olajire said the world football governing body had approved a new roadmap for elections into its board, as proposed by the board on Tuesday when it met in Abuja.
Olajire’s statement had quoted Markus Kattner, FIFA’s Deputy Secretary-General, as conveying FIFA’s approval in a letter dated August 21.
It had said FIFA had approved the proposal for the NFA congress to decide on the composition of the Electoral Committee and the Electoral Appeals Committee.