Confusion lingers in NFF as Giwa resumes, recalls Keshi

The leadership crisis in the Nigeria
Football Federation (NFF) took a turn
for the worse on Thursday, as Chris
Giwa took charge of the Glass House,
the NFF headquarters in Abuja, in
accordance with the order of the Jos
High Court that nullified the election
of the NFF board led by Amaju
Pinnick as president.
Pinnick has filed for a stay of
execution order, which will be heard in
court on Wednesday in Jos.
The Giwa-led board met after the court
pronouncement on Thursday and took
far-reaching decisions, among which
was recalling sacked Stephen Keshi as
Super Eagles coach.
A member of the Giwa board, Yahaya
Adamu, told newsmen in Abuja on
Friday that the board has returned to
power as demanded by the court.
Justice Ambrose Alagoa of the Federal
High Cour, Jos, had on Thursday
annulled the September 30 NFF
elections in Warri, Delta State, that
gave rise to Pinnixk’s board. He had
also declared as null and void the NFF
Elective Congress held on that day,
thereby reinstating the Giwa-led board,
which was elected in Abuja on August
26.
Adama, who was at the Glass House in
company of another board member,
Sani Fema, to await the board
chairman, said the board had discussed
emerging issues affecting Nigerian
football.
“The board consequently reviewed a
number of decisions taken in recent
days at the NFF, one of them being the
issue of the Super Eagles’ technical
crew.
“Also, the board nullified all decisions
taken by the Pinnick-led team since
September 30. All committees
appointed by the illegal board have
been dissolved,’’ he said.
Adama added that the board felt “so
strongly about sustaining the out-of-
contract assignment given to the
Stephen Keshi-led Super Eagles
technical crew.
“This is a very critical moment, and
Nigerians want the national team to
play well, win and be a pride to them.
This calls for greater hard work from
the coaches.
“They (the team) must win the
remaining qualifying matches against
Congo Republic and South Africa for
Nigeria to be at the 2015 African Cup
of Nations finals.
“Emphasis now is supposed to be on
concentration for the two games,’’ he
said.
The NFA board member said the board
has made interim appointments into
four committees in view of the short
time available for the 2013/2014
season to end.
“The Match Commissioners’
Appointments Committee has Adama
Yahaya as cshairman, Patimidi Tukuru,
Prof. Abu Mallam and Donatus
Mbaezue as members, and Emmanuel
Adesanya as secretary.
“The Referees Committee has
Suleiman Muazu as chairman, Sunday
Audu, Ahmed Maude and Chidi Offor
as members, and Sunday Okayi as
secretary.
“The Disciplinary Committee has Iyke
Igbokwe as chairman, Abdulkareem
Ibrahim and Andrew Abah as
members, and Lawrence Katken as
secretary, while Appeals Committee
has Leye Adepoju as chairman,
Godwin Odekina and Ray Nnaji as
members, and Okey Obi as secretary,’’
he said.
The court has set Wednesday, October
29, 2014 for hearing of the stay of
execution order.
On Thursday, there was apprehension
across the nation that the country could
be in for severe sanctions from world
football governing body, FIFA, which
had issued a stern warning earlier that
it would not take kindly to any
interference with the NFF’s electoral
process.
FIFA has also made it clear that any
interference from any third parties in
the NFF’s administrative process
would lead to an automatic ban that
would not be revisited until its 65th
Congress scheduled for Zurich,
Switzerland, on May 29, 2015.