Maigari
The crisis rocking Nigeria Football took a new twist yesterday, as some state FA chairman loyal to impeached president Aminu Maigari met in Abuja and instated him.
In a communiqué is- sued after the meeting, which Daily Sunsports gathered took place at a private residence in the Maitama area of Abuja, the chairmen declared Maigari’s impeachment as null and void, even as they ordered him to return to his office at the Glass House.
The communiqué, which was signed by Abia state FA chairman, Sir E.C. Chukwuemeka stated in part:
“To date, no member of the NFF Congress has been served with details of the motion of dismissal of Maigari along with the justification as required by Article 37 (2) of the NFF Statutes. In view of the foregoing, we reject in its entirety the alleged dismissal of the President of the NFF, Aminu Maigari and the appointment of an acting President of NFF, Chief Mike Umeh, the cur- rent Vice President of the NFF or any other person.”
Yesterday’s communiqué was signed by 16 FA chairmen and nine other stakeholders. The Abia FA boss, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues insisted that the “congress” was a valid one since the NFF executive committee had convened same to ratify their impeachment of Maigari.
Acting President of NFF, Chief Mike Umeh in a swift reaction yesterday dismissed the “Maitama congress” as a ruse.
Umeh in a release made available to Daily Sunsports stated that the congress initially slated for Thursday was postponed, even as he dubbed those
who gathered in Abuja to hold the “so-called” congress as enemies of Nigerian football.
According to Umeh, the NFF will convoke a con- gress at a later date to be made known to the public.
“The NFF executive committee rose from its meeting of Wednesday, 30th July to say that the emergency Congress had been postponed, and duly apologized to members of the Congress, while stating that the Congress would hold at a later date.
There was no Congress at all… A properly –consti- tuted NFF Congress would be convoked at a date to be made known to the public soon,” Umeh stated, add- ing: “Whoever is instigat- ing these persons does not love Nigeria and should be advised to stop.”
A Nigerian soccer buff, who pleaded anonymity for fear of being dubbed either a friend or enemy of Nigerian football told
Daily Sunsports last night that world soccer governing body, FIFA would
most likely not recognize yesterday’s Abuja congress since it was not attended by the Mike Umeh led execu- tive committee members and executive secretary, Barrister Musa Amedu.
He further pointed out that the “congress” took place outside the Glass House in a private residence. “At best, such a gathering could pass for a meeting of Maigari’s friends and not a congress.”
He was, however, quick to state that FIFA may wade in again and possi- bly set up a normalization committee for Nigerian football since the stake- holders are all still on war path.
“From the way things are going, FIFA may still wade in and set up a nor- malization committee. But the truth is that the battle is far from being over,” he said.
