Crisis Rocks NFF Board and Sports Ministry

Posted by Lolade on Thu 24th Dec, 2015 - tori.ng

According to reports making the rounds, Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung has ordered for a sack of the Amaju Pinnick led board of the Nigeria Football Federation.

NFF President, Amaju Pinnick

Fresh reports have indicated that the Amaju Pinnick led board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is on the verge of being ousted as the Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung has ordered for a sack of the entire board.

This came on the heels of an earlier press release signed by Dalung's media aide, Nneka Anibeze on Tuesday, December 22, ordering the NFF to desist from the sale of players.

A statement made available to reporters on wednesday evening hinted that the Minister has ordered the NFF to respect court injunction and allow Ambassador Chris Giwa to take over the NFF leadership.

The circular read in parts: “Interesting times seem to have returned to Nigerian sports and indeed football as the Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung has started to make his dreams clear about how he wants Nigerian football to be managed.

“Indications are that the Minister has ordered that the NFF leadership must respect all court orders pending his assumption of office as the Sports Minister. He noted that there have been flagrant abuse of court orders by the past leadership and there was urgent need to correct the trend.

“Sources said the Minister make the declaration at a meeting with the NFF Executive Committee, during which he declared that all will not be good for Nigerian football, if court orders, including those that have given on the way forward have been flouted. He therefore ordered that Barrister Chris Giwa, who was ordered back into the fold of the NFF leadership but the decision was flouted should now be immediately respected.

“Already, the NFF leadership have become panicky following the Ministerial order for due process. Below is the full text of the agreement reached during the meeting with contending parties in Nigerian football.

However, in a swift reactions to the development, general secretary to the NFF, Mohammed Sanusi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday evening that he is not aware of the reports: “I am not aware of the fractions decision to reclaim its mandate,” he said.

Immediately this report was published, the sports minister in a swift response forwarded a statement signed by his media aide to Naij.com

The Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung says he has not given any directive for any court order to be respected or flouted.

This followed a release in circulation which said Barrister Dalung had ordered that the NFF leadership must respect all court orders pending his assumption of office as the Sports Minister.

“Except there are two Ministers of Youth and Sports, I don’t know where this statement is coming from but I can tell you that the two warring factions had presented their cases at different times and I’m taking my time to study the issue”

In the interim, the Minister appealed to the warring factions of the Nigeria Football Federation to maintain peace and tranquility.

”I urge you to desist from anything that will truncate our preparations for the forthcoming Olympics and make a mockery of the victories recorded so far by the various national teams. The media should also restrain from sensational reportage of non- existing issues that will heighten the tension.

“The NFF leadership is still as we met it on board until this issue is resolved. We shall put all machinery in place to resolve this crisis permanently. I have not given any directive to the contrary until we find a permanent solution to the lingering crisis in the NFF” Dalung said.