The House of Representatives Committee on Sports on Thursday invited the Chris Giwa-led faction of the Nigeria Football Federation to appear before it on May 24.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the committee extended the invitation when the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, and the NFF appeared before it to explain their position on the NFF crisis.
The invitation would enable the faction to state its own side in the matter just as the Amaju Pinnick-led board did.
Consequently, the Giwa-led board did not hold its proposed congress scheduled for Thursday.
The Chairman of the committee, Bukar Lawal, said the invitation was to enable the committee to understand and mediate in the matter and also not to aggravate the crisis.
Lawal said: “We are directed by the House to mediate in the matter.
“We have heard from the minister.
“And the Giwa group will be here on Tuesday because it is batch by batch.”
Meanwhile, Dalung has said he had no right to stop anybody from gathering.
Dalung said the court order that led to the crisis arose because the FIFA laws had not been domesticated.
He said: “We are under democracy.
“I, Solomon Dalung, have no right to stop Giwa’s group from gathering.
“I don’t have the right.
“Let me inform this committee that there is even a letter from a committee of the National Assembly accusing me of using police to breach the rights of Nigerians.
“Why should I stop Giwa from taking over,?
“So, I cannot stop anybody from gathering.”
Giwa, on his part, said he would respect the committee’s advice to put his congress on hold.
He said: “I am a law abiding citizen and being President of the NFF, I will not want to be a leader where there is crisis.
“What the House is trying to do is to bring peace and I want to be part of that peace.
“They advised us to shelve the congress for the sake of peace pending when they meet with us on Tuesday.
“So, as a Nigerian, I think I have to respect the House.”
Similarly, the Senate Committee on Sports has mandated Dalung to ensure Team Nigeria excelled at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil.
The Chairman of the committee, Obinna Ogba, told the minister at the committee’s sitting that shortage of funds would not be taken as reason for any underperformance.
Ogba said Nigeria’s experience in London 2012 Olympics must not be allowed to repeat itself.
He urged the minister to work with relevant ministries to ensure the release of funds for Olympics preparation and for more appropriation if need be.
The committee urged the minister to ensure that the leadership crisis in the NFF was resolved as soon as possible.
NAN.
