By Victor Enyinnaya on July 17, 2017

There are strong indications that except Ex-Chairmen, Secretaries General and other football loving stakeholders in the country intervene in the renewed crisis brewing over the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), chances are that the country may be technically eliminated from realising her dream of being at the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Reason according to a highly placed NFF executive committee member that craved his name be off print is that the move by Chris Giwa to get judgment from the Supreme Court to oust the present EXCO led by Amaju Pinnick would not go down well with the world football governing body, FIFA.

The body would not hesitate to release the dangling hammer against the country’s quest to continue in the qualifiers and possibly be at the Russia World Cup finals next year.

“The home truth steering us in the face right now is, unless there is a quick intervention by well-meaning Nigerians on this naughty issue before the Supreme Court, Nigeria risks ban from FIFA, which will result in being technically disqualified from the tournaments in 2018, 2019 World Cup and AFCON finals in Russia and Cameroun respectively. 

“It is the reality on ground as we chat. The situation is grave and the consequences are not one to cheer about at all. As we chat, Giwa vs. NFF case is before the Supreme Court of our land. My take here is that we should not fold our hands and watch people use their personal ambition to derail and jeopardise the future of our numerous youths and professional footballers who have vowed and are poised to snatch our group’s sole ticket for Russia Football global festival 2018.

“We must fight back as we won’t allow anybody dare try such unpatriotic move against our state.   It is a sad commentary that some Nigerians would engage in an exercise to abort the spirited plan by the NFF leadership to compete at the finals of World Cup summit coming up in Russia next year and AFCON 2019. The Eagles are leading the group and all focus is on the epic game between Cameroun and Nigeria in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on September 1 and look at this kind of distraction Giwa and his fellow saboteurs are staging. Never, again, Nigerians must raise up and stop this anomaly,” the source told Daily Sports. 

The dependable source revealed that fingers are steadily pointing at a top government functionary behind the repeated court mêlées. The case ought to be heard in December, but the NFF was stunned when it was directed to be at the court last Monday.

It would be recalled that FIFA recently banned Sudan and Guinea from all its organised activities following alleged government interference in the administration of their football. And Nigeria is gradually tilting towards such dangerous redline.

Also, Daily Sports can authoritatively reveal that last week Monday, July10, the Supreme Court gave the Amaju Pinnick led body and followers of a contender to the Federation’s Presidency, Chris Giwa, notice to await further directives on when it would deliver judgment on the suit.

It would again be recalled that Nigerian football got deeply enmeshed in leadership struggle shortly after the World Cup 2014 held in Brazil when two executive committees emerged after elections for positions vacated by the Alhaji Aminu Maigari-led board.

However, claims and counter claims have been heard at different levels of the lower courts, High Court, Appeal Court and now the Supreme Court.

It was the case that led FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), to outlaw Giwa from all football activities for dragging football issues to civil court. It is worrisome as it is just coming on the heels of the Sudanese clubs being thrown out of international football competitions, including CAF Championships due to alleged government agencies interfering with its football administration.

As the time of filing this report, Nigeria is on the threshold of being thrown out of the ongoing World Cup qualifiers with two outstanding games against Cameroun alone; Zambia and then Algeria.

“It is eccentric that the NFF, an interested revelry, only got to hear of the court session on Friday from a third party. People should think of the consequences therein in all these actions and inactions by self-styled administrators,” the source further disclosed.

•Photo shows Chris Giwa.

Source Daily Sports

Posted July 17, 2017

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