NFF Leadership Tussle: Coalition Slams Giwa

Posted by admin Headlines, Soccer, Sports Tuesday, April 26th, 2016

Pinnick-Giwa

Nigerian Civil Society Groups and youth organizations have slammed the the Chris Giwa- led faction of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), over what they described as his recalcitrant attitude in the leadership crisis of the nation’s apex football governing body. Pinnick-Giwa They said Giwa’s attitude is capable of jeopardizing the Nigerian football. Converging under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Transparency in Governance and Nigerian Youth Groups, they also threw their weight behind the Amaju Pinick-led NFF, which they described as the authentic and most acceptable leadership. In a statement by the coalition’s National Convener, Comrade Ikpa Isaac, the group urged the Minster of Sports, Solomon Dalung, to expedite action on bringing closure to the crisis, noting that the Giwa-led faction has continued to do damage to sports in Nigeria with NFF’s inability to pay coaches being the latest fallout of his divisive politics.

They said the Minister must let the delinquent faction know that they continue to hurt the round leather sport to the displeasure of sports lovers in Nigeria and abroad. The statement stated that the fact that the Giwa-led faction could stampede the NFF’s bankers from crediting the coaches’ salaries into their accounts is enough proof that Giwa and his loyalists are more interested in power for its sake as opposed to the rapid and sustainable development of the sport. Isaac said, “These people frustrating football in Nigeria should have complied with the communiqué of the NFF’s extraordinary Congress that directed them- Chris Giwa, Yahaya Adama, Muazu Suleyman, Sani Fema and Effiong Johnson to appear before its disciplinary board for contravening its statutes and other football laws instead of making further trouble.

“They have further taken the annoying step of bringing Nigerian football to ridicule by shopping the law courts in violation of the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), which has appropriately warned NFF of the possibility of suspension should Amaju Pinnick be removed as president. “One will expect that Giwa would have realized by now that he and his co-travelers are fighting as even the National Assembly has revealed where lawmakers stand on the matter. But he has remained obstinate and continued to pursue a path that could only end badly for Nigeria’s football if allowed to pursue it to conclusion.” The coalition urged those in the Chris-Giwa faction to swallow their pride and submit to the Amaju Pinnick led NFF with a view to getting leniency. It also appealed to Pinnick to be magnanimous and “re-extend an olive branch” to the defeated faction as his contributions to the stability of football in Nigeria.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/nff-leadership-tussle-coalition-slams-giwa/wp_posts