FIFA AXE DANGLES ON NIGERIA AGAIN : SET TO BAN NIGERIA ON MONDAY

Nigeria, once again, is treading on the path of a ban by world football governing body, FIFA.

This follows the renewed crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation. This was again triggered by the ruling of a Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State sacking the NFF Board led by Amaju Pinnick.

The court restored the board led by Chris Giwa on Thursday. FIFA mulls banning Nigeria on Monday if the leadership of Pinnick, which it recognises, is not restored.

On Saturday in Windhoek, Namibia, the President of the Confederation of African Football, Issa Hayatou, told Nigeria’s Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo, in clear terms that the world was fed up with Nigeria’s incorrigibility in the area of football administration.

Hayatou’s words: “I had to plead passionately with FIFA President, Mr. Sepp Blatter, not to take action on Nigeria on Friday because Nigeria was in the final of the African Women Championship and a ban on your country would have been bad for the competition and our sponsors.

“We all heard the news of the court ruling on Thursday and the football world is angry with Nigeria. “That is the truth. “The FIFA letter that came to your Federation before the elections of September 30 was very clear about an automatic suspension should there be any interference with the political process.

“And after the elections went ahead, we all thought you had settled your issues.”

The CAF supremo, at a meeting that had Danagogo; Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Namibia, Ambassador Biodun Olorunfemi; Nigeria’s Deputy President of the CAF Appeal Board, Mazi Amanze Uchegbulam; CAF General Coordinator, Paul Bassey; and CAF Media Committee Member, Aisha Falode, in attendance, said there was no going back on suspension of Nigeria this week if football matters are not withdrawn from civil courts.

Hayatou said: “I appealed to FIFA to give until Monday for Nigeria to put its act together. “After that, there is absolutely nothing I can do. “It is all very disappointing because we have over 50 National Associations in Africa, but a big country like Nigeria is the one always giving us the biggest headache.

“Nigeria signed to be part of the football world by joining FIFA and opted to abide by the FIFA-approved statutes that you have. “How many times do we have to tell your country that football matters are not taken to civil courts?

“If Nigeria no longer wants to be part of the football world, then so be it.” It would be recalled that Blatter and Hayatou as well as several National Associations and NFF’s partners and political leaders around the world congratulated Pinnick following his victory at the September 30 elections.

Pinnick, who was, inexplicably, stopped by security operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on his way to Namibia on Friday, night with Danagogo, monitored the meeting on phone.

On Thursday, a Federal High Court sitting Jos gave a ruling setting aside the FIFA-ordered elections of September 30, 2014 into the NFF Executive Committee, stoking the fire of anger at the world body’s Zurich headquarters.

The NFF Executive Committee led by Pinnick has filed for a Stay-of-Execution of the order at the same court, which the court said it will be hear on Wednesday.

Falode, who spoke from Windhoek on Sunday, said it was obvious the Government of Nigeria has to now intervene to avoid the hammer falling on Nigeria football.

Falode said: “The future of millions of Nigerian youth is being put at risk by some persons who feel they have nothing to lose in the case of a FIFA ban.

“It is now for the government to wade in.

“If we get suspended from international football now, FIFA will not revisit the matter until their 65th Congress on May 29, 2015.

“That would be too bad for our country’s football.”