In what could be the end to the rumoured third term ambition of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the NFF to immediately commence the process that will lead to holding new elections into its Executive Committee at the expiration of the current administration in September.
The directives were contained in a letter dated June 17, 2022, addressed to the President of the NFF, Amaju Pinnick, and signed by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare and sighted by our reporter.
In the letter, Buhari also directed that the instrument of football administration in the country, the NFF Statutes, be amended to include other stakeholders, who had hitherto been disenfranchised, or denied equal representation in the NFF congress.
“Following the federal government’s renewed commitment to the growth and development of football in Nigeria, I hereby convey to you Mr President’s immediate directives that the NFF leadership is to ensure the September 2022 schedule for the NFF executive Election is complied with in line with the expiration of the current board’s tenure.
“The necessary electoral process commences timely so as to give Nigerians interested in contributing their expertise to football development the opportunity to do so.
“The NFF is to ensure that the amended/new statues reflect our national yearnings, aspirations and peculiarities as a sovereign nation, whilst aligning with the principles and objectives of football as set by FIFA,” the letter said.
Recently, Pinnick faced impeachment moves as 28 out of 37 Football Associations chairmen plotted his removal in the buildup to the electoral congress
On May 15, 2022, the FA chairmen issued a resolution to the NFF Executive Committee demanding for the vacation of an exparte order from a Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, which has stopped any NFF Congress meeting, as well as for a General Assembly to be called.
Prior to this, there has been immense pressure from many quarters for Pinnick to resign following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup and it appeared that he has jettisoned his plans of vying for a third term in office when his current tenure expires in September.
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