The Amaju Pinnick-led faction of the Nigeria Football Federation Congress on Thursday in Benin gave some concessions as part of steps towards reconciling warring parties in the Nigerian football family.
Browsing: NFF crisis
The Federal High Court in Jos on Wednesday refused to grant a request to stop Chris Giwa from taking over as the President of Nigeria Football Federation.
The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, on Tuesday said football stakeholders in the country must now find lasting solution to the perennial Nigeria Football Federation crisis.
Leading energy and oil exploration company, the AITEO Group, has threatened to withdraw its sponsorship of the country’s national teams if the ongoing impasse in the Glass House of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is not resolved within 14 days.
Two ex-internationals, Friday Ekpo and Bright Omokaro, have urged the Ministry of Sports and individuals involved in the ongoing Nigeria Football Federation crisis to tread with caution to avoid FIFA ban.
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 groups, under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Transparency in Governance and Nigerian Youth Groups, urged the Minster of Sports, Solomon Dalung, to expedite action on bringing to closure the crisis rocking the NFF, noting that the Giwa-led faction has continued to do damage to the sport in Nigeria with the NFF’s inability to pay coaches being the latest fallout of his divisive politics
A one-time President of the Nigeria Football Association, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, is the Chairman of the committee, while other members are Dr. Tijani Yusuf, Dr. Bolaji Ojo-Oba, Paul Bassey, Barrister Musa Amadu, Barrister Okey Obi and Carol Nkem Ojukwu
He said Giwa was inciting violence by his pronouncements that he would resume as the president of the NFF at the Glass House headquarters of the football governing body in Nigeria.
He said sports loving Nigerians and the football family were thrown into a state of confusion following the ruling, which sparked off the current leadership crisis in the NFF
“In the light of the above, the leaders of the two warring groups are hereby advised to refrain from acts capable of jeopardizing the peace process. They should therefore maintain calm while the issue is being resolved. All should note that any act contrary to my appeal will continue to tarnish the image and Integrity of the country and further scare would-be investors from our sports.”
His words: “If as at that time I reckoned that if I go in there and fail it will affect my reputation, I assume any professional coach to assume same position now; which is referring to Stephen
The Chairman of the committee, Barrister Okey Ajunwa, distanced himself from the decisions of the committee, as he refused to append his signature on their findings
Jonathan called a truce meeting involving leading figures in Nigeria football on Wednesday, which effectively led to the resolution of a leadership crisis that threatened the very soul of the game in Nigeria
The meeting, which was chaired by the newly-elected President of the body, Tony Ubani of the Vanguard newspapers, had in attendance such eminent personalities as Jide Alabi of the Silverbird Group, Ade Ojeikere of the Nation, Ben Alaiya of SportsDay, Kunle Salami of New Telegraph, Duro Ikhazuagbe of ThisDay, Ben Alozie of The Union, Ben Memuletiwon of National Mirror, Dare Esan of Complete Sports, Emeka Ezeugwu of the Newswatch Group, Femi Olusetire of SportsDay, Peter Edema of Daily Independent, Desmond Ekwueme of National Weekender and John Joshua Akanji of the Sun newspapers group
Our Abuja source hinted that the Bauchi State-born soccer administrator was released along with Barrister Chris Green
The media briefing which is scheduled for 10am, The Eagle Online gathered, has the suspension of disloyal board members as the main item on the agenda.
Danagogo told newsmen there was no threat of an impending ban by FIFA because it was aware of recent happenings in Nigerian football.