FIFA Threaten To Ban Nigeria, Warns Giwa To Stop Parading Self As NFF Official

ABUJA (AFP) – World football governing body
FIFA has warned Nigeria could be banned by

Tuesday if an “elected” executive committee led
by Chris Giwa does not vacate the Nigeria
Football Federation (NFF) office by midnight
Monday.
In a letter dated Friday, August 29 and signed
by FIFA secretary general Jerome Valke, FIFA
warned Giwa and his executives to stop
parading themselves as NFF officials.
FIFA said they do not recognise the executives’
election from Tuesday, although the global
footballing body said that “it appears the
ministry of sports has recognised them”.
“We will not recognise the outcome of the above
mentioned elections and should there still be
persons claiming to have been elected and
occupying the NFF offices at midnight on
Monday 1 September 2014, we will bring the
case to the appropriate FIFA body for sanctions,
which may include the suspension of the NFF,”
read the letter addressed to NFF secretary
general Musa Amadu.
Giwa and his executives took office on
Wednesday and the following day paid a
courtesy call to sports minister Tammy
Danagogo, who promptly endorsed their
election.
The immediate consequence of a FIFA ban on
Nigeria would be the African champions
forfeiting two 2015 Africa Cup of Nations
qualifiers fixed for September 6 against Congo
in Calabar and September 10 against South
Africa in Cape Town.
The crisis caused by the purported election has
meant league matches will not be played across
the country as scheduled this weekend after
referees, club managers and players announced
a boycott until the situation is resolved.
Two months ago, Nigeria was suspended by FIFA
following direct government interference in the
running of the game in the country when a
court sacked the elected NFF executive
committee led by Aminu Maigari and the sports
minister appointed a civil servant to head the
NFF.
In Friday’s letter, FIFA accepted the decision of
the majority congress where 39 of the 44
members resolved at an ad hoc general
assembly for executive committee elections to
now take place on September 4.
VANGUArD