Nigeria avoids FIFA ban, recognises Amaju Pinnick as footballchief

Nigeria has acknowledged FIFA-approved appointee Amaju Pinnick as the sole head of its national football federation on Monday, minutes before the world body was due to ban the country from international football over political interference.

FIFA had said it would suspend Nigeria  – thereby excluding the team from next month’s African Nations Cup qualifiers – over alleged state meddling in the running of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).

The NFF voted in FIFA’s recognised leadership team, under Amaju Pinnick, in 2014. His long-standing rival Chris Giwa appealed against that result and, after a protracted legal battle, the High Court found in his favour in June.

Giwa was handed a five-year ban by FIFA for breaches of NFF statutes and the FIFA code of ethics in February 2017.

But he appeared to have the backing of the Nigerian government. Sports minister Solomon Dalung included Giwa in a proposed list of delegates to meet FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Zurich last week – an idea FIFA rejected.

FIFA does not accept third party interference in its member federations and said the NFF must be led by Pinnick. It issued Nigeria with a final warning on 14 Aug.

In a tweet posted at 1038 GMT, a spokesman for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said Nigeria had “already conveyed to FIFA its firm position recognising Amaju Pinnick-led NFF as the current & only NFF Exco (executive committee).”

The government would work with all stakeholders “to resolve (the) dispute in a timely manner,” he added.

Pinnick told Reuters by phone on Monday that FIFA would not be banning anyone and it was in talks with the government.

Nigeria are due to play a qualifier for the 2019 African Nations Cup in the Seychelles on Sept. 8.