By Mark Baber
September 3 – Nigerian football remains in chaos as two rival factions within the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) battle for legitimacy. The Giwa-led faction claims he was elected President last week whilst the Maigari-led faction have organised new elections for tomorrow (Thursday).
The struggle moved into the House of Representatives Committee on Sports yesterday, where Chairman Godfrey Gaiya met members of Maigari’s faction, with what Gaiya described as a determining meeting due with Chris Giwa today: “As most of you are aware, we were here on Friday and we spoke to the Maigari faction and we promised that the minister will also appear before the committee.
“He has appeared today and we had a very fruitful discussion with him. We will still continue tomorrow as we will be expecting the Giwa-led faction.
“By the time we are done with all the contending factions, the committee should be able to come out with a directive.
“We are still consulting and we will need to talk with all stakeholders, then we will give you a statement concerning the election.”
Giwa’s ‘NFF board’ has suspended the League Management Company (LMC) for what it described as “sabotaging” the ongoing league season as referees have gone on strike in support of a “return of sanity” in football governance.
Giwa’s board also made a number of appointments including setting up a six person committee to oversee the Nigerian Premier League which will investigate to see who has been involved in the “sabotage.”
Meanwhile another NFF faction has announced candidates for tomorrow’s poll for a new President and members of the Executive Committee. Immediate past president of the NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, is not one of the seven candidates who include Ogunjobi Taiwo Joseph (Osun State), Yola Abba Abdullahi (Kano State), Mike Umeh (Anambra State), Pinnick Amaju Melvin (Delta State), Iorfa Mtem Dominic (Benue State), Dikko Shehu (Kaduna State) and Amanze U. Uchegbulam (Imo State).
Three candidates were listed for the 1st Vice-president position of the NFF including Inyama Emeka (Abia State), Adamu Shehu (Kaduna State) and Seyi Akinwunmi (Lagos State).
Musa Gusau Ibrahim (Zamfara) is the only candidate for the Chairman of Chairmen position.
The Electoral committee also confirmed the factional president Chris Giwa had failed to show interest in participating in tomorrow’s elections.
Although FIFA has not been heard from since the Giwa faction ignored a deadline to leave the NFF offices which expired on midnight on Monday, a new statement from FIFA supporting the legitimacy of tomorrow’s elections would not come as a great surprise.
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