Whereas to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari has resigned, the world soccer governing body FIFA thinks otherwise as it has continued to recognise Maigari as the head of football administration in Nigeria. To this end, FIFa has sent a letter to NFF which clearly showed that FIFA sill recognises the status quo.
However, acting President of NFF, Mike Umeh, has frowned at what he described as misinterpretation of the letter from FIFA. The letter was received Thursday.
FIFA had in the letter picked holes in the procedures that led to the suspension of Aminu Maigari as NFF President, as well as subsequent suspension of two Executive Committee members- Christopher Green and Yusuf Ahmed Fresh.
FIFA’s letter addressed to the General Secretary, Musa Amadu reads in part, “Taking into account internal divisions in the executive Committee, it is advisable that major decisions are frozen until election of August 26 and that focus will now be on the programs of the candidates and the development of Nigerian football.
“Finally, we like to advise that the legitimacy of the candidates who will attend the 26th August congress will not be questioned and we anticipate the congress will be composed of the delegates who participated in the November 2013 congress unless there have been changes statutory compliant.
“Furthermore, we advise you that President Maigari must preside over the NFF congress on 26 August”.
But, the Acting President insisted the interpretation given to the letter by the media was wrong, declaring “I want to use this opportunity to urge the media to refrain from misinterpreting the letter from FIFA. As a body, the Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation has gone through the letter and noted the contents.
“We have noted, among others, the section in which FIFA talked about restoring the electoral committee and the electoral appeals committee, and the advice that we allow Alhaji Aminu Maigari to preside over the coming elective Congress of 26th August, 2014.
“We will sit down and deliberate on everything and will come out with our position. FIFA officials are themselves aware that Alhaji Maigari has resigned his position and it will be the discretion of the Executive Committee to now invite him to the elective Congress. An elective Congress is never really presided over by anyone.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Alhaji Maigari tendered his resignation letter on 12th August, 2014.”
Umeh insisted that the NFF Executive Committee has abided by the provisions of the NFF Statutes, as approved by FIFA, in all its actions in the past few weeks.
