The world football ruling body, FIFA has handed Nigeria a stern
warning to fix its issues or risk being hit with suspensions from all
football activities.
The tussle for power in the Nigeria Football Federation is still
ongoing with Chris Giwa and Amaju Pinnick factions yet to settle their
differences.
FIFA is insisting that Pinnick is the legitimate head of the NFF
following his triumph in the election held on 30 September 2014, hence,
Giwa must stay off before August 20, 2018.
Failure to abide by the directive would see the country banned from all footballing activities.
However, Nigeria U20 women who have progressed to the last eight of
the U20 Women’s World Cup will be allowed to carry on provided they
make the semi-final.
“Two decisions of the Bureau of the Fifa Council in relation to
undue influence in the affairs of the Nigeria Football Federation…
have been notified on 13 August 2018,” read a statement from Fifa.
“In line with art. 16 par. 1 of the Fifa Statutes, the Bureau
of the Fifa Council decided that if by Monday, 20 August 2018, at 12:00
(CET), the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) offices are not handed back
to the legitimate NFF executive committee under President Amaju Melvin
Pinnick, who was duly elected on 30 September 2014, the NFF will be
suspended with immediate effect for contravening art. 14 par. 1 i) and
art. 19, as well as art. 14 par. 1 a) of the Fifa Statutes.
“The suspension would be lifted only once the NFF, under
President Amaju Melvin Pinnick and General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi,
confirms that it has been given back effective control of the NFF and
its offices.
“Furthermore, the Bureau decided that if the suspension of the
NFF takes effect, the Nigerian team currently competing in the Fifa U-20
Women’s World Cup France 2018 will still be allowed to continue to
participate in the tournament on an exceptional basis given that the
tournament is underway.”