NFF election: Danagogo hopeful

Abuja –

The Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo, on Friday in Abuja said he was hopeful the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) would hold “a very successful’’ Elective Congress on Tuesday in Abuja. In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Patrick Omorodion, Danagogo said he would therefore be looking forward to a cordial and prosperous working relationship with the new board. “I will be looking forward to a cordial and prosperous working relationship with the board which will be inaugurated after the elections of Aug. 26 in Abuja to take football in Nigeria to greater heights,’’ he said.

The various events in recent times by many stakeholders, including world football ruling body FIFA, had been geared towards the Aug. 26 date. This was as earlier scheduled by the board of the NFA, its Congress, FIFA and the National Sports Commission (NSC). However, the recent impeachment of the NFA chairman, Aminu Maigari, which was later upturned after FIFA intervened, precipitated a chain of reactions, including the emergence of a split board.

NFA First Vice-Chairman Mike Umeh who emerged as Acting Chairman had led a board which started working on Aug. 26 as the date for the elections. However, Maigari’s return saw the NFA board now stating that the Aug. 26 date was no longer feasible, and that the date would rather be for a General Assembly in Warri. But the Sports Minister, who is also the NSC Chairman, underlined in Friday’s statement salient points in the issue and in expecting the Aug. 26 date to be respected.

“We need to take into cognisance the resolutions reached in my meetings with the Maigari-led faction and the Umeh-led faction of NFA, as well as the advisory letter from FIFA dated Aug. 14 2014. “The letter had stated inter alia “… it is advisable that major decisions are frozen until after the elections of Aug. 26 …” and that nothing has happened to alter that position.

“We also need to know that all parties who were genuinely interested in participating in the NFA elections and felt disenfranchised ought to file their complaints and seek redress through available channels, including the Elections Appeals Committee. “It is time for all parties to put aside their personal ambitions and promote the corporate good of Nigerian football,’’ the statement said.(NAN)