The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, on Monday said the sole ambition of Ambassador Chris Giwa and his faction is to destroy the game and ensure that the world football governing body, FIFA, bans Nigeria.
Speaking in his office at the Glass House, Pinnick regretted the reported effort of Giwa to forcefully take over the secretariat of the football house last week.
Pinnick further questioned the integrity of the group laying claims to the leadership of NFF a day after a peace meeting with House of Representatives Committee on Sports, adding that it only shows their desperation for power.
Promising that NFF under him will not do anything illegally binding, Pinnick added that after subscribing to FIFA in 1960, Nigeria must respect the rules and regulations of the body.
His words: “Let me say that what these people are doing is a major distraction. What they attempted to do is a misnomer because what they are parading does not even give them the power to come and forcefully take over the secretariat.
“That action is very destructive and must not be condoned. We don’t want to go against FIFA Statutes, but even at that we have taken an appeal in a Nigerian civil court and I know that when you appeal, any issue at the lower court seizes to have life.
“Their aim is to destroy our football and prevent Nigeria from qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. I am sure while Nigerians were happy that the Super Eagles defeated Mali and Luxemburg in the friendly matches, they were not happy.”
Pinnick said he is still committed to the peace meeting called by the House Committee, adding that he accepted to be in that meeting because of the respect he has for the lawmakers because Giwa is already serving a ban.
He said: “The House Committee in their wisdom called us to a meeting, we spoke and I preach the gospel of Rule of Law. The House of Reps gave us a timeline of 10 days to come out with what they think should be the way forward, but just the next day Giwa and his group want to forcefully take over.
“I am not supposed to sit with Giwa in a football meeting because he is under a ban. I don’t have the power to unban him, the issue must go back to the Congress who may pardon him, reduce or even extend the ban. We were elected to serve for four year term which will end on September 30, 2018 and nothing will change that and we will remain in office till then.”
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