Amaju Pinnick, Chris Giwa in physical combat; NFF peace meeting deadlocked

By Daily Sports on January 21, 2016

The meeting called yesterday by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung, had all the trappings of reopening the already settled leadership crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). It took a dangerous turn when the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa, who is laying claim to the same office almost engaged each other in fisticuffs.

Pinnick and his greatest challenger, Giwa were locked in a battle for the soul of the NFF after the election in Warri, Delta State on September 30, 2014 which produced the present board. The Confederation of African Football and FIFA have both recognised the Amaju Pinnick-led board. Giwa lost his case both in FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS. And this was after he had withdrawn his case from a Jos court when FIFA moved to ban Nigeria.

For more than one year peace reigned in Nigerian football and the meeting the minister called was generally condemned by football stakeholders who said the action was tantamount to waking up a dead horse which could trigger off another bad blood.

Giwa was laying claim to the NFF top seat, saying he was duly elected after the August 26, 2014 controversial election in Abuja in which delegates massively boycotted.

Dalung, a known friend of Giwa back home from Plateau State who just assumed office late last year seemingly reopened the case and initiated an unnecessary peace move that turned out an anti-climax between the two warring factions. During the meeting, tempers rose, resulting in altercations from both men who called each other unprintable names.

But for the intervention of Dalung who sat in between the two angry men, the situation would have resulted in the two men using their fists as they wanted.

However, after the fracas which lasted for about five minutes, the meeting continued. After long hours of deliberation, the meeting was deadlocked. The Minister told reporters that the meeting will reconvene next week Wednesday.

He asked both parties to maintain the peace and that he will try to resolve the problem in the interest of football and the country.

According to him, the meeting has given him the opportunity to hear from both parties.

On what FIFA would do if the crisis persists, Dalung said he knows that the world body rules over the game adding that they will also be interested to see that the right thing was done.

“I have the will power and the political power to resolve the issue and I am optimistic that this issue will be resolved. We have decided to hear from them because this is a democracy, if we were in a military dictatorship I may have just decreed and asked one party to step down.”

•Sourced from Vanguard. Photo shows Pinnick and Giwa camps in fisticuffs during the peace meeting called by Sports Minister Solomon Dalung . . . yesterday in Abuja.

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 21, 2016


 

You may also like...
Pochettino Will Try To Bring Messi To PSG...

Ivory Coast Appoint Frenchman Beaumelle As New Coach...

FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018: Nigeria had...

‘Onuachu sale may cost Genk title chase’

Breaking: Real Madrid, Athletico Madrid banned from signing...

Unai Emery’s Problems Mount As Arsenal Blow Two-Goal...

 

Latest News Nigeria beat Cameroon to reach IHF final 27 schools for Doregos Basketball Championship Super Falcons to play France’s Les Bleues in friendly SWAN suspends ban on coverage of Anambra FA activities Joshua among boxing’s top three earners in 2024 Oshoala makes history with Bay FC Nnamani hails team over IHF bright start Flamingos lift U-17 W’Cup Fair Play Trophy Rangers Intl, SWAN partner on sports collaboration in SE LAGOS SWAN CELEBRATES AIG ZONE 2 ON HIS BIRTHDAY AND 30 DAYS IN OFFICE Traders Cup: Upholstery Soccer Team Secured 2nd Win To Advance To Round Two Lagos SWAN Celebrates Oba Akiolu, Iyaloja General, AIG Fayoade

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,142 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,269 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,350 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (43,991 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,931 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,879 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,718 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,289 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,333 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,036 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,489 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,916 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media