FIFA has threatened to hand Nigeria world football suspension on Monday if the country fails to resolve the lingering leadership crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation.
And former Nigeria coach Adegboye Oniginde and ex-Super Eagles defender Taribo West believe the country deserves to be punished by FIFA.
The world body also threatened to suspend Ghana over the dissolution of the Ghana Football Association by the government over the corruption scandal involving the suspended GFA president Kwesi Nyantaki.
Nigerian football has not known peace after separate NFF presidential elections in 2014 produced two presidents – Chris Giwa and Amaju Pinnick – with both claiming rights to the leadership of the NFF.
Giwa emerged as the winner of the August 26, 2014 NFF poll in Abuja, while Pinnick won the September 30, 2014 election in Warri.
With FIFA recognising Pinnick as the leader of Nigerian football, Giwa decided to seek legal action, and the owner of Giwa FC has been locked in a power struggle with the former to head the NFF.
Following sports minister Solomon Dalung’s directive to the NFF to comply with the Supreme Court judgment on April 27 restoring the orders of the Federal High Court setting aside the Warri election, the Giwa board took over the secretariat on July 2.
But FIFA frowned upon the development and the president of the body Gianni Infantino in Moscow on July 13 warned they would not accept Giwa as NFF president.
In response, operatives of the Department of State Services stormed the NFF secretariat to restore the displaced Pinnick NFF board to power.
However, the Giwa board allegedly backed by the sports ministry appear to have assumed control, forcing FIFA to read the country the riot act on Tuesday.
In a statement on their website, FIFA warned that Nigeria would be suspended if “the Nigeria Football Federation offices are not handed back to the legitimate NFF executive committee under Amaju Pinnick, who was duly elected on September 30, 2014,.”
The statement added,“The NFF will be suspended with immediate effect for contravening art. 14 par. 1 i) and art. 19, as well as art. 14 par. 1 a) of the FIFA Statutes. The suspension would be lifted only once the NFF, under Pinnick and General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, confirms that it has been given back effective control of the NFF and its offices.
“Furthermore, the Bureau decided that if the suspension of the NFF takes effect, the Nigerian team currently competing in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in France will still be allowed to continue to participate in the tournament on an exceptional basis given that the tournament is underway.”
Onigbinde, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the development on the telephone on Tuesday, tacitly backed Nigeria’s suspension by FIFA.
He said, “I think we need a long-term break from international football to ensure that we put the right structures in place to tackle such challenges as this. I don’t care who is in power, what I care about is that the right thing should be done.
“If we don’t take that break to put our house in order, we will keep receiving such threats of suspension from FIFA anytime this comes up – and the sad truth is that it will keep occurring until we do the right things.”
The veteran coach added, ““I believe some people are using the threat by FIFA to suspend Nigeria as a blackmail not to get the right things done and until the right things are done, the situation will always remain the same.”
Taribo said,“FIFA is right, some people just want to destroy Nigerian football because they have godfathers in high places. What is Giwa fighting for? What are his plans for Nigerian football? As far as I’m concerned, he doesn’t have a stake. Enough of this madness. If I could, I would join FIFA to hit them harder.
“Amaju’s tenure is almost over, let it run out. Under him, the Eagles had no issues with allowances. So let him leave in peace. They should respect FIFA. There’s nothing in our league anymore, and we keep fighting.”
Also, ex-Nigeria goalkeeper Segun Oguns echoed Taribo’s sentiments, urging FIFA to ban Nigeria.
He said, “In fact they (FIFA) are late, if they want to ban Nigeria, I don’t care. FIFA is aware of the problem we have in Nigeria today, remember how (Ibrahim) Galadima was removed from office?
“As far as I’m concerned, Amaju’s board has failed Nigerians, maybe we will come back to our senses if FIFA bans us. How do I care if he’s (Amaju) CAF vice-president and friend of Infantino? How has this reflected on our league and the state of our football?
“There’s nothing happening at home here; our players are leaving for Congo, Sudan and Tanzania. We must have technocrats in the system, not opportunists who dwell on government money to become billionaires overnight.”
Spokesman for the Giwa board Victor Iroele accused FIFA of bias in its action.
He said, “We are not aware of any letter from FIFA saying they will ban Nigeria.
“What we have is an internal crisis and FIFA should have heard from both sides before acting. The NFF is bound by the laws of Nigeria, and Nigeria is not an inconsequential country.”
Source: Punch
