The crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation continued to take a different dimension yesterday as Aminu Maigari, who returned to office on Tuesday as NFF President courtesy of Fifa was asked to stay away by sports minister Tammy Danagogo.
Danagogo told sports journalists in Abuja on Tuesday that he has not told Maigari to resume work at the NFF Secretariat.
The minister disclosed that he was obviously shocked by the news of Maigari’s return to the Glass House and said that he had ordered all parties in the lingering crisis to stay away from the NFF’s secretariat in the interest of peace and for amicable resolution of the crisis.
“We asked all the parties, Maigari, Giwa and everybody involved in this crisis to stay clear of that place (Glass House) so that we can amicably resolve this issue,” Danagogo said.
“Up till [Tuesday] morning, the report I got from Musa Amadu was that they were out of that place. I don’t want them to go there to fight and it will be in the best interest of everybody involved to maintain the peace we have achieved up till this moment,” he said.
Maigari, however, insisted that he was not told to stay clear of the Glass House, saying his return to office was on interim basis and not for full time.[eap_ad_2]
“He (minister) did not tell me anything. But I just received a call now telling me to leave the office, which I have to comply and honour. I am not here to resume fully but for interim measure and even without anybody’s intervention I did not come here to stay. I know I must leave here.
“We are in the process of completing our tenure and a new board will be in place very soon to takeover the running of the federation,” Maigari stated.
He insisted that the situation the federation found itself required Fifa intervention for a way forward.
“Fifa is the owner of this game that we are passionate about. We have to as quickly as possible comply with their directive as an affiliate member and as a country. Fifa has to direct us appropriately and that is what they are doing.
“Personally, I feel sad about the crisis because we are supposed to be one united family. But in a situation like this you can’t do away with crisis. For a way out, we must do what is right. We have statutes and must respect it as a federation. Fifa has the overall and superior statutes and in as much as we subscribed to them, we must respect their statutes and guiding principles.
“The executive committee will sit down and decide a date for election. There are procedures to follow. I personally can’t propose date for the election.
I want to believe that we will do this thing within a shortest time possible.”
The minister had queried Maigari’s presence at the NFF Secretariat. “As at this morning (yesterday) when Amadu spoke to me, he didn’t tell me any of other person had reported to office. I will not rely on hearsay until I get report from persons who are meant to brief me about that.
“Before now, we advised all parties or persons involved in the entire crisis to stay aside pending when issues are sorted out.” (goal.com)[eap_ad_3]
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