Fifa have rejected the election of Chris Giwa as the new
president of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and warned that Nigeria
could be banned
by Tuesday if he does not vacate the post by midnight on
Monday.
It follows a controversial Nigerian Football Federation
'election' last week, which split the governing body .
Fifa said they do not recognise the executives' election
from Tuesday, although football's world governing body said that "it
appears the ministry of sports has recognised them."
"We will not recognise the outcome of the above
mentioned elections and should there still be persons claiming to have been
elected and occupying the NFF offices at midnight on Monday 1 September 2014,
we will bring the case to the appropriate Fifa body for sanctions, which may
include the suspension of the NFF," said the Fifa statement on Friday.
In Friday's letter, Fifa accepted the decision of the
majority congress where 39 of its 44 members resolved at an ad hoc general
assembly, for executive committee elections in Nigeria to now take place on 4
September.
The disputes within the NFF have already led to a Fifa
intervention, international suspension and the enforced return - twice - of
outgoing NFF president Aminu Maigari.
Another ban could affect Nigeria's 2015 Africa Cup of
Nations qualifiers against Congo and South Africa early next month.
However the man who has found himself in the eye of the
storm, Chris Giwa, has played down the Fifa threat.
"We will present our position to Fifa by Monday morning
and they will be convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that we adopted the
correct statutes before organising the election," said Giwa.
"We call on Nigerians not to panic. The NFF is not
intimidated and we do not expect any sanction because we have done the
appropriate thing.
"There is absolutely nothing to fear. Our response is
ready. FIFA will receive the position of the Federation and will be convinced
that elections have, indeed, taken place," Giwa added.
The crisis caused by the purported election has meant league
matches will not be played across the country as scheduled this weekend after
referees, club managers and players announced a boycott until the situation is
resolved.
Football journalists in the country have called on Nigeria
President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene.
On Friday, the country's National Assembly - comprised of
the Senate and the House of Representatives - summoned all parties in the NFF
to a meeting to resolve the crisis plaguing Nigeria football.
In addition to the deep divisions in the NFF, the Super
Eagles are still without a permanent coach after Stephen Keshi's contract was
not renewed after the World Cup.
He has agreed only to take temporary charge of the team for
their two upcoming Nations Cup qualifiers, having grown impatient with
negotiations over a new deal.
Source-BBC
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