By Daily sports on February 22, 2021

I have to bow to the intensive pressure from numerous readers of this Monday-Monday soar-away column that has created a niche for itself.

Let me say that numerous readers of this column have been sending text messages for me to do a write up on the pending FIFA executive committee slot being sought after by the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick for which election will hold in March.

However, before we treat this week’s topic, it will be great to acknowledge the exploits of our Super Falcons in the far away Turkey invitational tournament. The results before this page went to bed Saturday night have been very encouraging and worthy for patting on the back.

One would urge the team and her newly signed or contracted foreign technical hand to capitalise on this for greater performance in future competitions at the World level. Truth is that we have got it right at the continental level but have sadly found it extremely difficult to find our feet at the World Women Cup. The Nigerian Super Falcons team has made more than any African country at this level.

One prays that the new helmsman finds his bearing and turns around the team for a greater show at the next Women World Cup summit. We wish the team well as it hopefully would reproduce the form that saw her beat other earlier opponents as it squares up against fellow African team, the Equatorial Guinea national Women side on Tuesday.

Daily Sports team wishes the team well as the tournament that is serving as warm up games continue.

Now to this week’s discourse, which looks at the chances of our own Amaju Pinnick in the forthcoming FIFA election into its executive committee. In one of the write ups here, I did say categorically that Nigeria with her enormous contributions in her spirited move to grow African football has just occupied the seat in FIFA two times in the persons of late Oyo Orok Oyo and Dr. Amos Adamu.

You can agree that it remains inadequate and we are under-utilisation despite our numerous personalities that could occupy such a position roundly. Nigeria all along plays the big brother position instead even when the GIANT West African nation is yet to produce the President of CAF.

It is against this inflammable background that since Amaju Pinnick signified interest to run, many years after Dr. Amos Adamu left the seat, all hands should be on deck for unparalleled support for him to clinch the seat.

I still maintain that the FIFA Executive committee seat is not all about Amaju Pinnick, rather it is about Nigeria. It is about a country that has done much for the development of the game in the continent, spending much in whatever way or angle you may look at it from, but never cared a hoot to occupy positions in both FIFA and CAF levels.  Now that the interest has again been expressed, we must rise to the occasion to ensure he will be among the administrators that would sit in FIFA to make decisions on football worldwide.

Let me be honest with you that Amaju Pinnick is football administrator par excellence which even his arch critics have acknowledged. He has the capacity to contest this decisively and win. He is determined and a goal getter. He is a never-say-die fellow that is focused and possesses acumen. Little wonder therefore that he, like a cat with nine lives, has survived many conspiracy theories both locally and internationally.

He is a better candidate and his request for Federal Government’s backing for the position is never misplaced. It is in the right direction and one prays that this lame duck government would do the needful to ensure that Nigeria wins the coveted seat in FIFA.

Amaju Pinnick is a solid candidate and Nigeria must not miss this opportunity because of ethnicity and parochial thinking that has eaten deep into the fabrics of different geopolitical zones. Amaju Pinnick, like any of us, has his shortcomings but we must bury whatever misgivings against him and support him for this national assignment wholesale.

History will judge harshly all those that will play Judas Iscariot in this FIFA executive committee election, for not being sincere even if for once. It is not Amaju Pinnick’s personal thing but Nigeria’s, not minding the grouse we have against Nigeria as a failed country. 

What you cannot fault Amaju Pinnick is his versatility in the administration of football and its politics. CAF President erroneously detached himself from the NFA supremo and got his fingers badly burnt; hence he is on the wrong side of history today. Amaju Pinnick has without doubt charted a great path for Nigerian football since he mounted the saddle of the apex football governing body in the country.

I am for a just cause and it is also the cardinal stead of Daily Sports. It has earned us much and we must stick strictly with that best policy. We say forward with Amaju Pinnick for FIFA upcoming executive committee polls.

Nigeria must be fully represented this time in FIFA. No more, No less. We need collective encouragement and to ensure that whatever politics that goes with such an international body must be fully exploited in favour of Nigeria’s Amaju Pinnick. That is my candid submission this week as the stage would be set for the epic polls. We must not fail as it is yet one and another national task that must be comprehensively accomplished.

Let us revert to our social media handles to set the agenda for this all important election. Amaju Pinnick is not new in continental and world elections and knows best how to go about it clinically. The end must justify the means in this context. He must assemble a crack team that would campaign and lobby right on point to get a positive result.

In short, he is not relenting and so must coast home. Nigeria needs this slot in FIFA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE seat. Keep shooting hard till next week as the Struggle Continues!!

Source Daily sports

Posted February 22, 2021

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