NSC to seek answers from FIFA March 15
By ROMANUS UGWU, Abuja
Wednesday February 22, 2012
Rangers’ Sunday Chinedu (with ball) takes on Gombe United players.
The National Sports Commission (NSC) hopes a March trip to meet with FIFA chief, Sepp Blatter, will address the crisis in the country’s football federation.
In January, a Federal High Court in Abuja dissolved the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Nigeria Premier League (NPL).
The court declared that only the Nigeria Football League (NFL) and the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) have the legal authority to operate.
The NFA became the NFF in 2009, but failed to register the change properly.
This is why the Nigerian law is refusing to recognise the NFF as the national body governing the country’s football.
The NSC, which is in effect its Sports Ministry, has now stepped in to set up a meeting with FIFA.
“I can confirm that the sports commission plans to meet with the FIFA president on March 15 in Zurich to discuss this situation,” Tony Ohaeri, spokesman for the commission said on Monday.
“There is a need to meet with FIFA to explain the situation concerning the NFA and the NFF.
“The NSC representatives will travel to Switzerland for this important meeting, and hopefully, there would be a solution to the path to follow.”
Days after the initial ruling by the court in Abuja, the NFF filed an appeal as well as a motion for a stay of execution of the judgement pending an appeal.
On Monday, the court adjourned the hearing on the stay of execution until April 19.
According to Akin Olujimi, counsel to the NFF, the body would continue to operate on the basis that it followed due process in filing the appeal.
“We will argue the case on April 19, but what the law says is that my clients can go about their jobs,” he explained.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are trying to revive their flagging fortunes after their failure to qualify for this month’s African Cup of Nations. But court cases, in-fighting and government interference in the administration of the NFF have overshadowed plans to revitalise football in the country.
FIFA had initially imposed a ban for what it called “government interference” in the running of Nigerian football in the wake of the national side’s early exit from the World Cup.
But it lifted the ban provisionally after some steps were taken, notably allowing the country to play a 2012 Nations Cup qualifier in Guinea.
FIFA rules prohibit any government intervention with its members. Nigeria is currently ranked 56th by FIFA, her worst rating by the world governing body in 12 years.
