NFF dare President Buhari, ‘we’re only accountable to FIFA’ boasts top official
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have again challenged the authority of the Nigerian Government after they refused to honour an invitation by a Special Presidential Panel over an alleged case of diversion of public funds.
The Special Presidential Investigation Panel For The Recovery Of Pubic Property invited seven NFF officials including vice-presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko to appear before it yesterday in Abuja over a case of conspiracy and diversion of public funds.
However, the officials stayed away and they did not put forward an explanation to the panel why they refused to show up,A top NFF official simply boasted: “It’s another exercise in futility.
Nothing will happen!
We’re only answerable to FIFA.”
The NFF led by Amaju Pinnick have severally challenged the supremacy of the laws of the country under the cover of FIFA. Among other things, they have refused to obey the orders of the High Court in Jos as well as the Supreme Court judgement in respect of Chris Giwa.
They also boycotted an administrative panel set up by the sports minister Solomon Dalung to investigate the finances of the federation.
They have shown they are above the law of the country they claim to represent,” an observer told SCORENigeriaBut unfortunately this looks most likely to be the biggest mistake they have ever made in their desperate quest to hang on to power.
Earlier this month, the county’s anti-graft agency the EFCC arraigned three NFF officials before the FCT High Court over the alleged theft of 3.4 billion Naira meant for the development of football in the country.
Efforts to kill the case have so far proved abortive.Allegations of corruption in the NFF are rife with several petitions in this respect pending.
One of the petitions submitted to the EFCC by former NFF technical director James Peters spoke of
monumental stealing and financial crimes in the NFF”.
All these come against the backdrop by FIFA to fight corruption within their ranks as President Gianni
Infantino eyes re-election next year.
Sierra Leone FA bosses are now facing the music in their country for corruptly enriching themselves.
This week, former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President and CAF 1st Vice-President Kwesi Nyantakyi was slammed a life-time ban for alleged bribery and corruption.
