The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FIFA

  • NFF replies FIFA

    NFF replies FIFA

    The board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have responded by means of writing to World Football Governing body, FIFA demands on the process that led to the impeachment of Alhaji Aminu Maigari as president of the apex soccer body in Nigeria.

    SL10 reliably gathered from a source at the Glass House that FIFA replied two days ago.

    “It was a normal letter seeking to know if Maigari’s impeachment was contained in the agenda of the meeting that lead to his removal,” he told SL10.

    “We replied and told them yes it was part of our agenda as we were doing a review of the 2014 World Cup, I wouldn’t say he was impeached rather Maigari’s case was one of provisional dismissal as he couldn’t account for monies due to the federation.

    “He couldn’t provide explanation on how the 800 million naira released by the Nigeria government was used prior and during the World Cup, he also failed to give account of the 1.5 million dollars FIFA gave the NFF for World Cup preparation.

    “In a nutshell what they wanted to know was if his dismissal was part of the agenda of the meeting, and we made them know that the vote of no confidence passed on Maigari was reached during our meeting to review the World Cup and you can’t do that without taking stock of money that came in and how they were spent.”

    SL10 can also reveal that the NFF is yet to get a response from FIFA as at writing this report over the planned August 26 congress of the football house.

    “We are yet to get a reply from FIFA, if we don’t get it in due time then it might be postponed because they have to be present at the Congress to witness it conduct in line with the statues and guidelines of FIFA,” the source added.

  • FIFA query Maigari’s impeachment

    FIFA query Maigari’s impeachment

    World football  governing body FIFA have demanded for a full explanation regarding the purported dismissal of Aminu Maigari as president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

    Maigari was allegedly sacked by his executive committee on July 24.

    But in a letter dated August 4, 2014, to NFF general secretary Musa Amadu and signed by deputy secretary general Markus Kattner, FIFA demanded a more detailed explanation leading to Maigari’s sack.

    They asked for the agenda of the executive committee meeting that sacked Maigari, the conditions for the amendment of the agenda and whether the president was given the chance to defend himself.

    FIFA also stated that the dismissal of any executive committee member was the prerogative of the NFF general assembly and not the executive committee.

    The world football ruling body also expressed surprise that despite the lifting of the suspension of the country, the situation in Nigeria has become “so inextricable”.

    Elections to the executive committee are due to be conducted on August 26.

    And on the heels of the letter from FIFA, the NFF executive committee on Thursday suspended two other members, Chris Green and Yusuf Ahmed, for what they described as “anti-board activities”.

  • FIFA seeks explanation for Maigari’s impeachment

    FIFA seeks explanation for Maigari’s impeachment

    World Soccer governing body, FIFA has asked the Nigeria Football Federation for full details of the circumstances and process leading to the removal of Aminu Maigari as president, kickOffNigeria.com reports.

    This comes on the heels of plans to move the elections into the board following complaints of disenfranchisement by aspirants.

    Maigari was impeached at an executive committee meeting last month, but the process was clouded by a member of the executive committee claiming his signature was forged, and FIFA has now stepped in to demand an explanation.

    A Congress scheduled to ratify Maigari’s impeachment was called off due to unforeseen circumstances.

    A day later, 30 of the 46 voting members of Congress issued a press statement distancing themselves from the impeachment process.

    The NFF executive committee is now expected to meet on Thursday morning with one item on the agenda being to call a Congress that would move the elections from August 26.

    Prospective candidates for election into the board had complained that they were unable to collect nomination forms, let alone submit them by Monday’s deadline because the electoral committee was hoarding the forms while making themselves scarce.

    The committee could also be reconstituted in the wake of these allegations.

  • AUGUST 2014 FIFA window: NFF shops for Eagles’ friendlies

    • Technical body given one-week ultimatum
    • African opponents preferred

    The executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) rose from an emergency meeting in Abuja on Thursday, urging its technical body to immediately open discussion with agents for an international friendly scheduled for August 13.

    The NFF body challenged the technical committee to ensure that an inetrnational friendly is played by Nigeria, on August 13 2014, a day set aside by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) for its 209 affiliate federations to be involved in matches without hinderance from the clubs where their players ply their trade.

    According to the communique, “The committee mandated the NFF Management to proceed with discussions with a number of African countries with a view to the Super Eagles playing a friendly match on the FIFA window of Wednesday, 13th August, 2014, as part of preparations for 2015.

    “The committee expressed satisfaction with all arrangements so far made for the different National Teams, namely Falconets, Flying Eagles and Golden Eaglets ahead of important international matches and qualifying games, and also directed the Technical Sub-Committee to meet in a few days to harmonise all arrangements in this regard.

    “The committee expressed satisfaction with all arrangements so far made for the different National Teams, namely Falconets, Flying Eagles and Golden Eaglets ahead of important international matches and qualifying games, and also directed the Technical Sub-Committee to meet in a few days to harmonise all arrangements in this regard.”

  • Triumph of due process

    Triumph of due process

    • That is what FIFA’s lifting of its suspension on Nigeria is 

    Just as well FIFA, the global football governing body, on July  18 lifted the ban it imposed on Nigeria, for attempting to torpedo the Aminu Maigari-led Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), despite the country’s knowledge of the provisions of Article 12 of the FIFA Statutes.

    This latest Nigerian comeuppance might be in football. But the attempt to pull down a legally constituted body is an unsavoury metaphor for the overwhelming executive lawlessness in the local polity. The big difference here was that FIFA was there to insist on the sanctity of its own laws; and took effective action to defend and preserve it.

    On the local plane, however, it is arch-guardians of the law that do not think twice before subverting it for immediate political — or even partisan — expediency. It is the Achilles heel of Nigerian delicate democracy — if what is ongoing could be so called, especially when the sanctity of laws is the subject.

    Just as the attempted dissolution of the Maigari-led NFF Board is a piquant metaphor for executive lawlessness, the sudden hero-turned-villain odyssey of the board is another metaphor for the quicksand transition from heroism to villainy, that is well and truly Nigerian.

    The Maigari board won the FIFA U-17 World Cup, took a pack of near-rookies to South Africa to win the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), qualified Nigeria for the Brazil World Cup, all in 2013; and made a respectable third placing in the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) in the same South Africa in 2014.

    Yet, it took perhaps a change of minister — and, of course, brouhaha over money in Brazil — to demonise the same hitherto high flying board, to merit instant dissolution, even if what, in the public space, are nothing but allegations, with no guilt proven in a court of competent jurisdiction.

    This line of argument does not, in any way, justify or tolerate sleaze, if any case of such is proven. If the Maigari board is guilty of sleaze, by all means let the hammer fall.

    But no serious nation tries its best NFF board for many seasons on the basis of allegations; and on the emotive basis of such allegations, go ahead to find it guilty, dissolve the board, and threaten its members with prosecution.

    In serious climes, prosecution ought to come first, solid case proved, conviction safe in the bag, before dissolution follows. Indeed, even before that process runs its course, the guilty party would have honourably quit.

    That brings the matter to the FIFA intervention and comeuppance. It is tribute to Nigeria’s penchant for impunity that the National Sports Commission (NSC) would feel FIFA is obliged to wave its rules, accept its NFF roasting as manifest goodness and put the Maigari board to the sword — even if Nigeria is only one of the 209 FIFA member-countries; and the other 208 members are expected to play by FIFA rules! It is good that FIFA, with no less devastation, has woken the NSC up from its reverie.

    There is, of course, the emotive argument that since NSC funds NFF, it has a right of life and death over it. But the little discomfort is that NSC freely subscribed to the FIFA statutes, the moment its proxy, NFF, opted to join the FIFA family. Besides, NSC does not exist in the FIFA radar. So, if you are no member of a club, how can you, in all good conscience, badger the laws of that club and expect to have your way?

    If NSC has a strong case against the Maigari NFF, let it marshal its case; and present such before the NFF congress. If the evidence is sound and the case is overwhelming, the congress would do the needful, without disrupting an already unstable football governing environment.

    Let this be the last time the Nigerian government would embarrass Nigeria in FIFA court only to back down. Such all-muscle-no-brain tactics contribute nothing to the progress of the game, or earn Nigeria the respect it deserves in the global football community.

  • FIFA free Aneke from ‘Egypt Nightmare’

    FIFA free Aneke from ‘Egypt Nightmare’

    FIFA have freed Nigeria striker Jude Aneke from what his representative described as “Egypt Nightmare”.

    Nigeria all-time leading scorer in the Nigeria league Aneke has quit Egyptian club Al Masry under a cloud and as a result can now feature for Spartak Semey of Kazakhstan.

    “Jude (Aneke) has joined Spartak Semey in Kazakhstan. It is important that he returned to the game after the Egypt Nightmare. Jude was freed by FIFA. It was a long fight, but at the end we won and Jude can play again,” his representative Hasan Egilmez told AfricanFootball.com.

    “His fitness is not in doubt and I am sure he will be a big hit in Kazakhstan. He signed a six-month deal.”

    He had struggled to establish himself at Al Masry and injuries also did not help his cause.

    Three years ago, 24-year-old Aneke set a new all-time record of 20 goals in the Nigeria league, beating the 18-goal mark set by Ahmed Musa. He has played for Anambra United, Ebonyi Angels, Kaduna United, Warri Wolves (all in Nigeria) and  Al Masry of Egypt.

  • FIFA lifts suspension on Nigeria

    FIFA lifts suspension on Nigeria

    World football –governing body, FIFA on Friday lifted the suspension clamped on Nigeria on July 9 as a result of a court order barring the Aminu Maigari –led NFF Executive Committee and the NFF Congress from controlling and managing the affairs of Nigeria football.

    In a letter signed by FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, and addressed to the NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, the world body, in the letter captioned ‘Lifting of the suspension of the Nigeria Football Federation,’ stated clearly that they received the correspondence of Thursday, July 17 from the NFF and were satisfied that Nigeria has complied with their demands for reinstatement into international football.

    “Since the conditions set by the FIFA Emergency Committee on 9 July, 2014 have been met, the suspension of the Nigeria Football Federation is lifted with immediate effect. The lifting of the suspension means that all of NFF’s membership rights have been reinstated, as defined in art. 12 of FIFA Statutes.

    “The NFF is therefore entitled to take part again in international competitions and to benefit from all programs which were suspended.”

    With this decision, the NFF has stepped up arrangements to ensure that the U-20 Women National Team, Falconets, travel to Moncton, Canada next week for a final training camp ahead of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup taking place in the same country, and for the U-17 boys to fly to Democratic Republic of Congo for a 2015 African U-17 Championship qualifier on Sunday, July 27.

  • FIFA lifts suspension on Nigeria

    FIFA lifts suspension on Nigeria

    World football–governing body, FIFA yesterday lifted the suspension clamped on Nigeria on July 9 because of a court order barring the Aminu Maigari–led NFF Executive Committee and the NFF Congress from controlling and managing the affairs of Nigerian football.

    A letter captioned ‘Lifting of the suspension of the Nigeria Football Federation’ signed by FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, and addressed to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Aminu Maigari, the world body stated clearly that it received a correspondence on Thursday, July 17 from the NFF and was satisfied that Nigeria had complied with its demands for reinstatement into international football.

    “Since the conditions set by the FIFA Emergency Committee on 9 July, 2014 have been met, the suspension of the Nigeria Football Federation is lifted with immediate effect. The lifting of the suspension means that all of NFF’s membership rights have been reinstated, as defined in art. 12 of FIFA Statutes.

    “The NFF is therefore entitled to take part again in international competitions and to benefit from all programmes which were suspended,” the letter read.

    With this decision, the NFF has stepped up arrangements to ensure that the U-20 Women National Team, Falconets, travel to Moncton, Canada next week for a final training camp ahead of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup taking place in the same country, and for the U-17 boys to fly to the Democratic Republic of Congo for a 2015 African U-17 Championship qualifier on Sunday, July 27.

  • FIFA suspension a sad one – Okpara

    FIFA suspension a sad one – Okpara

    Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, William Okpara, shares his concerns over the current situation in his home country which he says is affecting the development of football. But beyond the FIFA suspension, Okpara feels Nigeria is blessed with a lot of talents to defend their African Cup of Nations title and also qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

    Nigeria has been suspended from all international football by FIFA amid allegations of government interference in its football federation. What’s your take on the whole situation?

    Well, it’s a sad situation for our football and our teams that are currently involved in continental and international competitions as well as the development of football in general in Nigeria. We are all hoping that those in power will find a solution to the matter as soon as possible so that things are back on track and our teams get back to  international football again.

     

    Where do you feel it all went wrong for Nigeria at the Brazil World Cup?

    The team gave their best at the tournament reaching the last 16, but we lost to the better team in France and I’m confident we learned a lot going forward. I would have liked to see the team at least in the quarterfinals, but they did us proud as a country.

     

    Talking about going forward, what do you think should be done to improve football in Nigeria?

    First of all, I feel that Nigeria is blessed with a lot of talents to conquer the continent again in 2015 by defending their Africa Cup of Nations title and also qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. What is left now is for the big bosses to put their differences aside and work towards making our country a success as far as football is concerned.

     

    What about the future of Stephen Keshi as the national team coach?

    Keshi has done very well since taking over and it would be good if he continues as the coach of the Super Eagles, but if he decides to leave I think whoever comes in can still succeed because Nigeria is blessed with a lot of talents.

     

    You were part of a very talented Super Eagles group that played at the 1998 World Cup in France. What are your memories with the team?

    Indeed, that was a very special team. Blessed with a lot of talent in the likes of Jay Jay Okocha, Taribo West and Sunday Oliseh. Who can ever forget the win over Spain especially that great goal by Oliseh which won us the match?

     

    Lastly Willy, where are you and what have you been doing?

    I’m still here in South Africa working for Orlando Pirates as the team manager and have been in camp with the team as they prepare for the new season.

     

  • Sadi: FIFA Got It Wrong

    Sadi: FIFA Got It Wrong

    President of Association of professional footballers of Nigeria (APFON), Dahiru Sadi, has criticised FIFA’s decision to suspend Nigeria from all football related matters on account of Government interference.

    Speaking to SL10, the former Super Eagles forward said FIFA actions can be interpreted as a vote in support of corruption.

    “I can’t imagine FIFA saying a congress can’t sack a body they find guilty of financial misappropriation, the court case aside they were duly dissolved by a congress, same people who voted them in, decided to vote them out, how is it a crime?”

    Sadi is of the opinion that FIFA statues and stand on Government interference promotes corruption by most football bodies especially in Africa.

    “If you say the NFF board, an affiliate body can’t be suspended by the Government of a country which they are citizens off and binded by the country’s constitution on the ground of corruption then that’s a vote in support of corruption especially in Africa”

    “This same Government bailed the national team during the bonus row, where was FIFA? He queried.

    Sadi also adviced FIFA to seek proper consultations and do extensive investigations before suspending member bodies.

    “The speed with which they ban national teams especially in Africa and later reverse it is shameful,they have banned Tunisia and Cameroun in the past only to reverse it after consultations, in a nutshell what I’m saying is they should do thorough investigations before slamming a ban”

    “If FIFA had done their work properly, they would have known that the court case apart, Maigari’s board was dissolved by an extra ordinary congress of the NFF not base on the court rule”

    Dahiru Sadi is presently the Technical director of Glo NPFL side Kaduna United.