NFF crisis: Our position will convince FIFA – Giwa

Chris Giwa, the factional Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation, has said there was no cause for alarm over a letter to the association from world football governing body, FIFA, on Friday.
Giwa, who was elected by a faction of the association’s Congress on Tuesday, said the Federation’s secretariat would relay a detailed and convincing response to FIFA on Monday morning.
Giwa said: “We have seen the letter from FIFA and digested the full contents of it.
“Nothing has changed as far as we are concerned.
“We will present our position to FIFA by Monday morning and it will be convinced beyond any reasonable doubt.”
Giwa’s position was contained in a statement on Friday in Abuja by Ademola Olajire, the NFF’s Assistant Director of Communications.
Giwa called on Nigerians not to panic, saying the NFF was not intimidated and did not expect any sanction because it had done the appropriate thing.
The statement added: “For us, it is not about noise-making. FIFA has admitted in its letter that the General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of any association or federation. That is perfect.”
Giwa recalled that the NFF General Assembly had at its 69th meeting on November 28 decided that an elective Congress would take place on August 26.
The statement said: “If FIFA admits that the General Assembly is the highest decision-making body, and the highest decision-making resolved at their meeting in 2013 that elections would take place on August 26, 2014, no other body can change that decision.
“Certainly, the NFF Executive Committee is not qualified to change that decision.”
Giwa said he and his group were not aware of any anomalies in the elections which brought into power the new board.
The statement said: “FIFA talked about some persons walking away from the Congress as a result of the fact that some persons were arrested. We were not aware of that.
“The Congress went ahead and moved a motion to hold elections same day, in deference to the decision of General Assembly of Nov. 28, 2013, and the motion was seconded and there was no counter motion.”
Giwa assured Nigerians that there was absolutely nothing to fear as the NFF’s response to FIFA’s letter was ready.
“FIFA will receive NFA’s position and will be convinced that elections have, indeed, taken place,” the statement said.