FIFA Council Seat: Question Ministry of Sports Fails To Answer

  FIFA Council Seat: Question Ministry of Sports Fails To Answer ..Amaju Pinnick FIFA Council Ambition, National Or Personal Interest? By Niyi Busari The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development last Tuesday in Abuja reaffirmed the Federal Government endorsement for the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick ambition contesting for the FIFA Council Seat. According to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Nebolisa Anako, Nigeria is supporting Pinnick's ambition for National interest and to reposition Nigeria in the global football map. "Mr Amaju's ambition would further reposition Nigeria in the global football map where we have made remarkable inroads. Though, it is reasonable to support any Nigerian vying for such position as opined by the Ministry but it is also important to disapprove the person's endorsement if his candidature will be more of self interest and not national interest. A top Nigeria football administrator, Gara Gombe in a recent interview said; "The minister of sports, Sunday Dare said it's good to support a Nigerian to go to FIFA Council. Yes, it is good provided he's going there to work for Nigeria interest. "In the last CAF Elections, when he (Pinnick) wanted to go for the Executive Committee of CAF, he sent his nomination without informing the government, I alerted the former minister of youth and sports, Solomon Dalung that his nomination has already been sent to Egypt, he then called Secretary General, Sanusi Mohammed who said that Executive Committee of the NFF decided in a meeting to support Amaju and sent his nomination. "As that time, we were just fighting Boko haram insurgency and Cameroon are member of Lake Chad commission, who share same land border with Nigeria and their citizen (Issa Hayatou) was about to be removed as CAF President. Then, the Federal Government insisted that Amaju Pinnick should vote for Issa Hayatou but the NFF president went ahead and voted for Ahmad Ahmad. "Pinnick undermined national interest, he went to CAF, he became so ambitious and desperate then what happen? They pushed him out." Gara concluded. During the Press Conference organised by the Ministry of Sports in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Nebolisa Anako was unable to respond to a question asked by journalist at the press briefing on the Federal Government support for Amaju Pinnick ambition for FIFA Council seat. The journalist asked; "In the last CAF election, Amaju Pinnick as against the Federal Government decision voted for Ahmad Ahmad when Nigeria has cordial international relationship with Cameroon whose citizen was also contesting for the same position. Now, the same Amaju Pinnick is campaigning for Patrice Motsepe, a South African. We all know that Nigeria and South Africa presently do not have good relationship with each other. Why is the Ministry and Federal Government supporting Amaju Pinnick and the South African citizen? The Permanent Secretary couldn't answer the question and refused to hand microphone to the NFF 2nd Vice president, Shehu Dikko who was ready to respond to the question. He said "I know you (Dikko) want to respond to this question but I seize the microphone and I declare that this press conference should end with this question." Amaju Pinnick's properties is still under seal by the Nigeria anti-graft agency, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after concluding their investigation and discovered traces of corruption in his dealings as NFF president. Also, FIFA ceased to pay Nigeria FIFA Assisted Program (FAP) fund since 2016 after discovering mismanagement of funds by the Amaju Pinnick led board.