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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Unless the federal government retraced its step on the insistence over the amendment of the statute of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the world football governing body, FIFA’s dangling hammer, may descend on Nigeria very soon.
The federal government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, has hinted on possible amendment of the NFF statute without going through the legal and statutory requirements.
Apparently reacting to the amendment, Buhari had while reviewing the 10-year football master plan urged stakeholders to work together constructively and patriotically.
“We have seen attempts to disrespect and undermine the institutions supervising our sports. We have seen attempts to subjugate national interest for narrow interest or disrespect the laws of Nigeria. Nigeria will not take lightly any attempt to inflict injury on its football fortunes,” he warned.
However, reacting to the desperation of the federal government through the ministry of Youth and Sports Development, a member of the NFF board, warned that unless the amendment pass through statutory format, FIFA will come hard on Nigeria.
“The process of amending the statute of the football federation is a very rigorous one. It will pass through the board to the Congress. We will sent to the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) and FIFA before it becomes operational. But when they insist on the way they are going about the amendment, then be sure that the consequences from our regulatory authority may be devastating. We should be wary of FIFA ban,” the board member warned.
