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Tag: Mike Umeh

  • Umeh okays Pinnick as NFF president

    Umeh okays Pinnick as NFF president

    The immediate past Nigeria Football Federation first vice president, Mike Umeh, has expressed his satisfaction with the outcome of the elections.

    The NFF elections in Warri which elected the Delta State FA chairman, Amaju Pinnick, as president saw the Anambra State FA chairman picking no vote from the 44-member elective delegates.

    Umeh said he has decided to abide by the popular decision of the delegates as he offered himself in the first instance for the presidency of the federation to further advance the course of football development and not for self gain or any other ulterior purposes.

    “The election went very well and was able to produce a new NFF president in the person of Mr. Amaju Pinnick.

    “I’m satisfied with the outcome as well as the choice of the majority, we can’t be winners at the same time.

    “I’ve decided to abide by the outcome of the election as I never entered into the race for self enrichment but for the growth and development of the game.

    “I’m not a trouble maker and won’t start at this age and time to learn how to make trouble.

    “I quite understand that there is no 100 per cent perfect election anywhere in the world. What we witnessed in Warri on Tuesday is not an exception as there are flaws but we won’t continue to dwell on it rather to look forward to the brighter part of life,” Umeh told supersport.com.

    He, however, declined comment whether the last has been heard of the discordant voices that preceded the elections.

    “No, no, I won’t want to comment on that issue, the key for me is for enduring peace to return to the football house,” he stated.

  • Uncertainty surrounds NFF congress

    Uncertainty surrounds NFF congress

    It is clear on Tuesday afternoon that the much publicized Nigeria Football Federation congress slated for Chida Hotel, Abuja, will no longer hold following the arrest of NFF president, Aminu Maigari and two other principal officials of the federation by operatives of the State Security Service.

    Maigari’s loyalists who had earlier clashed with loyalists of Sports Minister, Tamuno Danagogo and NFF vice president, Mike Umeh, at the hotel, were detained for demanding the release of Maigari and Chris Green, the NFF technical committee chairman.

    The Secretary of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria, Comrade Austin Popo, who spoke to our correspondent on telephone, said the congress member were detained for asking for the NFF officials’ release.

    “They told us that we have no business in their office. The SSS operatives insisted that since they don’t have business at Chida Hotel, they will remain in their office, pending when they decided to go back to the hotel for the congress without Maigari and Green,” Popo said.

  • NFF poll: Umeh, Odegbami, Ogunjobi out

    NFF poll: Umeh, Odegbami, Ogunjobi out

    Nigeria Football Federation acting president, Mike Umeh, has been screened out of the forthcoming elections, while Chris Giwa is unopposed for the federation’s presidency.

    According to the electoral guidelines, Giwa, who is the owner of Nigeria premier league club, Giwa FC, will automatically be the new NFF president as he is unopposed.

    Giwa’s clearance comes despite his indictment by a fact-finding committee into Plateau United when he was the club acting chairman 10 years ago, africanFootball.com reports.

    It also fuels speculations that the sports ministry has carefully orchestrated what could now be best described as an appointment.

    Also disqualified is former secretary general of the NFF, Taiwo Ogunjobi.

    Former Nigeria captain Segun Odegbami, was also not cleared for the August 26 elections to the NFF executive committee.

    NFF electoral committee chairman, Amoni Biambo, made the disclosure Wednesday in Abuja while rolling out the list of cleared candidates.

    He explained that Ogunjobi was disqualified due to his ban from all football activities, while Umeh was screened out because he picked a form for vice president and submitted same for presidency.

    For Odegbami, his form was not properly endorsed and as such was not cleared.

  • NFF elections: Umeh quizzed by SSS

    NFF elections: Umeh quizzed by SSS

    The acting President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mike Umeh, was on Tuesday afternoon quizzed by security operatives in Abuja over planned executive committee meeting to review niggling issues concerning the Federation’s polls, africanFootball.com reports.

    Umeh was queried for trying to chair an executive committee meeting which would have addressed several issues including the failure of most aspirants to get nomination forms for the August 26 elections into the executive board of the NFF.

    “He was told in very clear terms that he cannot hold an executive committee meeting without approval from the sports ministry,” a source informed africanFootball.com

    The executive committee meeting has since been put off.

    Earlier in the day, Umeh had expressed serious concerns over the handling of the electoral process ahead of the elections.

    “We have received phone calls, phone messages and emails, and there have been media reports of persons being denied forms for unclear reasons,” africanFootball.com quoted Umeh as saying in an official statement.

    “The litany of complaints and widespread condemnation has been deafening. The best legacy that this team can give to Nigeria football is a flawless electoral process leading to credible elections.

    There have been ringing condemnation of the handling of the sale of forms, particularly, and Umeh assured that the NFF would not turn a deaf ear to the cries of those genuinely desirous of purchasing forms but who have been unduly denied.

    “We will look at the issues arising from the entire process and take a decision that will be in the interest of, not only those bonafide members of the family who have been short –circuited, but also of the system.

    “All persons eligible to purchase forms should be able to do that. It should be a level -playing field for all because we are keen on credible elections that will satisfy the yearnings of Nigerian ball fans and make our country proud.”

     

  • NFF to ‘weed out’ corrupt officers

    NFF to ‘weed out’ corrupt officers

    Acting president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mike Umeh, has said he will lead the fight to rid Nigerian football of “all corrupt officers.”

    Erstwhile president of the Federation, Aminu Maigari was on Thursday impeached “on grounds of financial misappropriation, misapplication and maladministration.”

    Umeh, who took the reins following Maigari’s impeachment, said move to rid the Glass House of “individuals of questionable character is ongoing as we look to repair the damage done to Nigerian football.”

    “We want to assure Nigerians that we will not relent in adopting due process in showing corrupt officers of the NFF the way out.

    “I can state through this medium without fear or favour that the procedure of kicking out individuals of questionable character is ongoing as we look to repair the damage done to Nigerian football.

    “That is my immediate mandate. We are not small boys. We know what to do,” he told supersport.com on Thursday.

    Umeh will preside over the affairs of the NFF, pending the composition of the new executive committee of the Federation after August 26 elections.

  • NFF chief Maigari impeached

    NFF chief Maigari impeached

    The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari, was on Thursday impeached by the Federation’s executive committee members.

    The members took the decision during Thursday’s executive committee meeting in Abuja, kickOffNigeria.com reports.

    Maigari was accused of “uncalled-for secrecy” surrounding all financial dealings of the Federation and failure to call meeting of the executive committee for the past eight months, during which so many weighty decisions on Nigeria football had been taken by a small cabal within the board.

    Consequently, in a motion for impeachment moved by Shehu Adamu and seconded by Deji Tinubu, the committee passed a vote of no confidence on the NFF president.

    A communiqué at the end of the meeting stated that “the committee approved the immediate dismissal of Alhaji Aminu Maigari, from the NFF Executive Committee on grounds of financial misappropriation, misapplication and maladministration.”

    The body’s First Vice President, Mike Umeh, was appointed Acting President, to preside over the affairs of the Federation till the August 26 elections.

     

  • NFF tells Keshi – You’re free to go

    NFF tells Keshi – You’re free to go

    The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) will not stop Coach Stephen Keshi from vacating his post as Super Eagles coach, after the ‘Big Boss’, as Keshi is fondly called, expressed his desire to step down following Nigeria’s ouster from the World Cup.

    Vice president of the NFF, Mike Umeh spoke to Nigerian sports radio, Brila FM about Keshi’s impending departure and confirmed that they will not be standing in Keshi’s way if he has decided to quit.

    “We cannot stop Keshi from moving if he wants to, he’s a grown man and knows what’s good for him. If he so desires a greener pasture, then we can’t stop him, it’s up to him to decide,” he told Brila fm.

    He however denied claims that the NFF have not been supportive of the former Togo coach, saying, “It’ll not be fair to say we haven’t supported Keshi. We have given him tremendous support, more than anyone could imagine. So, the thought that he hasn’t been adequately supported isn’t true.”

    Umeh also spoke on the possibility of getting a new coach in time for the 2015 African Cup of Nations qualifiers which starts in earnest.

    “I’m sure a new coach will come in immediately Keshi’s departure is finalised, so that shouldn’t be a problem,” Umeh noted.

    It is, however, surprising, that the NFF are so willing to allow Stephen Keshi leave, with the former Nigeria captain still having a year left on his four-year contract signed in 2011. Keshi took over from former teammate, Samson Siasia in November of 2011 and signed a four-year deal which is supposed to lapse in 2015.

    Immediately after the loss to France, another NFF top gun, Deji Tinubu tweeted, ‘and off he goes to S.A’, which obviously confirms Keshi’s exit.

  • World Cup: NFF sets semi final target for Eagles

    World Cup: NFF sets semi final target for Eagles

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has set a semifinal target for the Super Eagles at the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.

    Nigeria will be making a fifth appearance at the World Cup finals and the NFF believes anything less than a last four finish at the tournament will leave a bitter taste in the mouth.

    Vice president of the NFF, Mike Umeh, who made this known to supersport.com, believes the feat can be achieved.

    “That has been discussed. No African team has surpassed the quarterfinals (of a FIFA World Cup). Let us be the first African team that can scale that hurdle. That’s our target,” Umeh told supersport.com.

    The NFF chief however ruled out the Super Eagles’ chances of winning the trophy in Brazil next year.

    “When a team reaches the semifinals of a major tournament, anything can happen.

    “However, I will not say we will win the trophy in Brazil next year. That will be unrealistic,” he said.

    Umeh also stressed that rumours about the NFF shopping for a foreign trainer for the Super Eagles are unfounded.

    “I am not God and anything could happen between now and the next six months when we will compete at the World Cup.

    “However, the NFF has asked him (Keshi) to take us to the World Cup. He’s a very good coach and has brought some innovations to Nigerian football.

    “He has done very well and I pray God helps him to succeed at the World Cup,” he concluded.