By Mark Baber
December 10 – FIFA, in an email signed by secretary general, Jerome Valcke, has come down on the side of the “majority” of the members of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Electoral Appeals’ Committee who rebelled against their chairman to uphold the disputed September 30 election of Amaju Pinnick (pictured).
The elections had been challenged by the losing candidates Iyke Igbokwe, Suleiman Muazu and Shehu Dikko and elements of their appeals were upheld by the Electoral Appeal’s chairman Okey Ajunwa who ordered the election be rerun.
In his email, dated December 9, 2014, Valcke effectively upheld the decisions of the four members of the NFF Electoral Appeals’ Committee who rebelled against their chairman, who dismissed the appeals largely on procedural grounds and who upheld the election of Amaju Pinnick as the president of federation, notwithstanding the NFF guidelines which stipulate their report is not valid unless signed by the chairman.
The text of FIFA’s email, addressed to NFF General Secretary Musa Amadu and released by the NFF states; “We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 8 December 2014 including details of the ruling of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Electoral Appeals Committee.
“We note the majority decision of the Electoral Appeals Committee to uphold in their entirety the results of the NFF Elective Congress held in Warri on September 30 2014.
“We are therefore pleased to be able to start working with the new office-bearers headed by the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick. We will contact you in the coming days to organise an introductory meeting between Mr. Pinnick and the FIFA President in Zurich.”
FIFA’s decision to go against the decision of the Electoral Appeals’ Committee chairman Okey Ajunwa and Pinnick’s election is unlikely to put to bed the crisis over the legitimacy of the current leadership of the Nigerian Football Federation.
The aggrieved candidates, as well as members of the Chris Giwa faction who won a court order banning the September 30 election from going ahead, will likely be considering legal options including taking matters to CAS or even back to the civil courts.
What remains is the impression Amaju Pinnick has come to power in a distinctly sordid fashion, rather than as a result of a transparent, free and fair election process – and that feeling will undoubtedly stalk his presidency and the future of Nigerian football.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734891492labto1734891492ofdlr1734891492owedi1734891492sni@r1734891492ebab.1734891492kram1734891492