Uproar in the NFF over Amaju Pinnick’s CAF pick

The head of Nigerian football’s governing body is at loggerheads with his executive committee after he endorsed Madagascar’s Ahmad Ahmad to be president of the Confederation of African Football.

The Nigerian Football Federation said it had called a meeting on Tuesday to distance itself from Amaju Pinnick’s position and instead throw its weight behind the incumbent Issa Hayatou.

CAF member countries vote for the new president in Addis Ababa on March 16. Ahmad is challenging Hayatou, who has been CAF boss since 1988.

“He (Pinnick) has clearly upset the Nigerian football establishment and he will be told that in no uncertain terms at this meeting,” the official added.

Nigeria’s sports minister Solomon Dalung has already said Pinnick’s position was not that of the NFF, as have senior Nigerian football officials already holding CAF portfolios.

Amos Adamu, Dominic Oneya, Sani Lulu and Aminu Maigari — who have all been NFF president — at the weekend gave their backing to Hayatou in a public statement.

Pinnick as an individual could support anyone he wanted, they said, but added there was “no evidence where Mr Pinnick was mandated to commit this country to supporting Mr Ahmad”.

“No Nigerian member of CAF has been consulted nor informed out of courtesy about the ambitions of the NFF President,” they added.

“We do not remember Mr Ahmad visiting Nigeria to solicit or canvass for votes nor do we have any record of Mr Ahmad’s pedigree in the running of football in Africa that would have led Mr Pinnick to dangerously throw all of Nigeria’s eggs in his basket.

“We stand dangerously threatened.”

The Nigerian CAF officials instead said there was every reason to continue to support Hayatou, calling him “a pillar of support” and a “true friend of Nigerian football”.

 

Source: The Guardian

Amaju Pinnick leads campaign against Issa Hayatou’s re-election.

The Nigeria’s Football Federation (NFF) is backing a challenge to the long-serving president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou.

Mr. Hayatou is standing for an eighth successive term of office, but faces opposition from Ahmad Ahmad, the head of Madagascar’s FA.

Amaju Pinnick, president of the NFF, told the BBC the election would be “a defining moment for African football.”

Pinnick said CAF needs a “new generation” of leadership, following the change at the top of the world governing body FIFA.

He cited “post election differences between Gianni [Infantino, the new Fifa president] and Issa Hayatou, which are irreconcilable.”

Infantino was in Johannesburg yesterday for a gathering of football federation leaders from across the continent.

He is then due to visit Zimbabwe at the invitation of the head of the southern African confederation, Cosafa – which also backs Ahmad.

Pinnick acknowledged that Hayatou could still win – but said if he did, the veteran Camerounian would need to be open to different influences.

“You have to listen to a larger audience instead of just a tiny cabal, you have to know it goes beyond you,” Pinnick said.

“I will definitely work with him if he wins but my prayer is we need a bridge builder and that person is Ahmad.”

Sahara Reporters: Nigeria Football Federation Unable To Account For $801,000 FIFA Fund.

The world football governing body, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), has detected discrepancies in the use of funds it provided the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the development of the game in the country. The discovery was contained in the report on the 2015 review on the use of FIFA Development Funds. In the report of the review prepared by a globally reputed audit firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters, FIFA said it detected that the sum of $801,229 was spent by the NFF without evidence supporting the disbursement.

In performing the review, FIFA said it observed “circumstances, which may indicate or lead to misuse of funds (defined as cases where the use of FIFA Development Funds could not be traced to supporting documentation or the use was not aligned with FIFA-prescribed purposes) or other non-compliance with FIFA regulations.” Tagged the Central Review Report, the findings were shared with Fatma Samoura, FIFA Secretary-General; Patricia Waldvogel, FIFA’s Head of Consolidation and Compliance; Kjetil Siem, acting Chief Member Association Officer; Fredric Guillemont, FIFA’s Deputy Head of Development Programmes; Mr. Muhammed Sanusi, General Secretary, NFF; Mr. Emmanuel Ikpeme, Deputy General Secretary, NFF; Christopher Anderkin, NFF’s Deputy Director (Finance and Administration); David Mason, FIFA Senior Relationship Manager; and Richard Thomas, Engagement Leader, PwC.

The report of the review, conducted from August 16 to 18, 2015, listed its objective as the inspection of NFF’s adherence to the global body’s regulations on the use of funds provided for development in the 2015 calendar year. Dated October 5, 2016, the report exclusively focused on reconciliation of funds provided to the NFF with NFF’s records, inspection of the fund usage as it complies with FIFA regulations. The PwC team, which carried out the review, contacted Messrs. Atabo and Aderibigbe of NFF for information on the use of the funds.

FIFA noted that all disbursements from FIFA Development Programmes were made in cash by the NFF. The NFF, the report stated, issued cash to its employees in charge of individual FIFA Development Programmes.

“We understand that these employees were then to use the money to pay other parties (i.e., suppliers) in connection with FIFA Development Programmes. Due to this process, it could not be determined if the final recipient actually received these funds. In reviewing the dedicated account, nine cases totaling $801, 929 were identified where there was no supporting documentation to substantiate the subsequent disbursements (i.e., the disbursements made by the NFF employee, if any),” the report stated. The global body said it observed opacity in fund usage, as the NFF management was unable to show that there was no fraud in the transactions conducted.

As a result, FIFA demanded that supporting documentation must be provided as proof of fidelity of all payments. The documentation required, explained FIFA, include contracts, invoices, proof of performance, delivery notes and confirmation of receipts, none of which the NFF provided.

FIFA warned that if the NFF could not provide adequate supporting documentation for the disbursements, it should make refund on sums unaccounted for. It expressed displeasure with the unrestrained practice of cash payments, which it said should have been greatly minimized. NFF’s response to the audit mishaps, signed by its Deputy General Secretary, Mr. Ikpeme, and obtained by SaharaReporters, was replete with admissions of errors, alleged oversight, and hazy explanations.

According to Mr. Ikpeme, the problem associated with payment for planning and administration was caused by the exchange rate.

“As at the time of making the payment, the exchange rate at the parallel market crashed alarmingly. That accounts for the difference in the sum reported, but all supporting documents are attached to the voucher,” he wrote.

On the expenditure on youth football, Ikpeme admitted an error in reporting that the sum of $92,375 was spent, as it was not drawn from the FIFA Development Fund. How this was captured as part of the monies withdrawn from the bank for that purpose remains a mystery.

The NFF Deputy General Secretary then promised that all the necessary attachments would be promptly made available for subsequent audit report/visit.

He, however, claimed that all the documents on infrastructure contract and evidence of part-payment were submitted. Curiously missing from documents tendered were invoices, the reason for which he said: “We promise to contact the contractor within two weeks to provide the office with invoices for payment made so far and same will be forwarded to PwC Switzerland.”

On the nine items identified by the audit review as featuring dodgy disbursements, Ikpeme said the NFF spent $150,000 on furnishing its new secretariat at the National Stadium, Abuja. The evidence of the transaction was not provided during the audit, but he claimed it was sent via email and DHL Courier service to PwC and receipt was acknowledged. Evidence of the use of $100,000 for the prosecution of the World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Swaziland was similarly not available on request and had to be sent by email and DHL. The NFF, during the period under review, claimed it held two computer appreciation training sessions for all staff. The first gulped $29,665.19, while the other, within the same calendar year, cost $20,000. Payment evidence were sent through similar means.

The request for evidence of the sum of $367,304 spent on the CHAN qualifier between Nigeria and Burkina Faso was also not readily available and had to be sent via email and courier.

Another explanation for the yawning gap between money provided by FIFA and disbursements made by NFF, Mr. Ikpeme stated, was due to the Federation’s inability to capture transactions above $5,000.  Many of the transactions conducted were above this amount. The inability, he said, was imposed by the inadequacy of space to offer explanations on transactions above $5,000. “However, we have noted this observation, and in future, we will work accordingly,” he wrote.

Mr. Ikpeme also admitted that lodgments made to FIFA dedicated accounts were made in error, promising it will not happen again.

“We have put measures in place to make sure that it is only money from FIFA that would be lodged in the FIFA dedicated accounts. Even with the new Federal Government policy on Treasury Single Account, we have written to the Federal Government through the Accountant-General for a dedicated FIFA account to be opened to avoid mixing up lodgments into FIFA dedicated accounts,” he similarly wrote.

The sum of $14,342 reported by the NFF auditor, said Ikpeme, was a “perceived typographical error.” He claimed that the figure earlier sent by the NFF is the correct one and is in consonance with the bank statements.

He explained that the NFF has no control over bank charges, as they are automated.

On questions raised about signatories to the FIFA dedicated accounts, Ikpeme said the NFF has two signatories – the General Secretary and Director of Finance – who are shown in signature cards sent by the bank to PwC.

These signatories, he added, are used for every transaction.

The report noted that administrators in FIFA member countries are adept at concocting documents to conceal misuse of funds and outright fraud in the deployment of such.

 

Source: Sahara Reporters

Amaju Pinnick slams Minister Dalung for claiming NFF mismanaged $0.8m FIFA grant.

The Nigeria Football Federation has denied that it diverted $802, 000 grant received from the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) after Nigeria’s sports minister Solomon Dalung called for a ‘reputable audit’ of the federation’s books.

 

Dalung claimed FIFA had suspended giving development grants to Nigeria over financial irregularities.

 

“According to the report, FIFA has withheld all development funds to Nigeria for lack of proper documentation of $802,000 out of the funds released to NFF,” Dalung told NFF’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos.

 

“This is a very serious issue that must be given urgent attention to avoid another international embarrassment, more so that the present administration under the leadership of Mr President Muhammadu Buhari has zero tolerance for any act of misappropriation, misapplication, embezzlement or fraud in any guise.”

 

But the federation insisted its accounts have already been audited and there were no discrepancies. It also claimed the minister submitted was misinformed about the activities of NFF’s board.

 

“The audited account of the Federation for the year, as audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, an internationally reputable audit firm, was presented and adopted at the General Assembly,” NFF said in a communique issued after its general assembly on Sunday.

Nigerian Football chief, Amaju Pinnick endorsed for CAF position.

Despite what many Nigerians consider very poor performance by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, under Amaju Pinnick, the latter has been nominated for an African position.

The General Assembly of the NFF on Sunday in Lagos endorsed the candidature of Mr. Pinnick for election into the CAF Executive Committee.

The 72nd Annual General Assembly of the NFF held at the Best Western Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Sunday.

According to a communiqué released by Ademola Olajire, the NFF spokesman, “the Congress passed a Vote of Confidence on the NFF Executive Committee.

“It also endorsed the candidature of NFF President, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick for election into the CAF Executive Committee at the CAF Congress in Addis Ababa in March 2017.

“Congress called on all Nigerians to give him total support as it is not an NFF venture, but a Nigerian Project,” it said.

Mr. Pinnick and the NFF leadership have been criticised for their management of Nigerian football which worsened last week with the protest by the Super Falcons.

The Nigerian female national team emerged African champions in Cameroon despite not being paid their allowances.

Their protest last Wednesday to the National Assembly forced President Buhari to order release of funds to pay the ladies.

In their communique on Sunday, the NFF Congress commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government for the action taken to pay the players and officials of the Super Falcons their entitlements.

The Super Falcons were crowned champions of the 10th Women Africa Cup of Nations Finals in Cameroon.

The Communique also noted that the General Assembly endorsed the new boards of the Nigeria National League (NNL) and the Nigeria Nationwide League (NNWL) as constituted by a Selection Committee.

It said the boards of the two leagues were immediately sworn in.

It said the Congress also resolved as follows:

“In order for Nigeria Football to align itself with the FIFA Integrity Initiative, Congress adopted the NFF National Integrity Initiative Strategy, as proposed by the NFF Integrity Unit.

“General Assembly also adopted the Disciplinary and Ethics Code of the Nigeria Football Federation as proposed by the Executive Committee.”

The Congress expressed satisfaction with the explanation provided by the Executive Committee on a number of issues raised by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung at the opening ceremony.

It noted that the issues were on division within the Board, FIFA Audit Query and late submission of memos.

It submitted that the minister was misinformed about the activities of the Board.

“Congress noted the submission of the Executive Committee stating that at no time previously (official or unofficially) did the Minister raise these issues with the NFF leadership to obtain clarification.

It added that the Federation would have gladly provided clarifications just as it did to the House Committee on Sports during a recent sitting on its budget performance and budget proposal.

“Indeed, the audited account of the Federation for the year, as audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, an internationally reputable audit firm, was presented and adopted at the General Assembly.

“General Assembly empowered the NFF Executive Committee to provide detailed explanation to the Office of the Honourable Minister on all the issues raised.

“It also empowered it to publish them as a matter of public records, for the avoidance of doubt and for information of the general public, NFF partners and sponsors,” it said.

The Communique said that the Chairman, House Committee on Sports praised the leadership of the NFF for various achievements recorded during the period.

He also urged them to remain focused to ensure Super Eagles qualification for 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The Congress expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Government and the Local Organising Committee for the successful hosting of the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations staged by Nigeria from December 13 – 18.

The body also thanked the Secretary General of FIFA, Fatma Samoura. for attending the championship.

The Communique added that Congress elected Musa Duhu, Chairman of Adamawa State Football Association, to join the NFF Executive Committee from the north-east geo-political zone.

The vacancy was created with the demise of Hussaini Modibbo, member from that zone.

“Duhu was the only candidate for the seat and was declared “worthy and credible” by the NFF Electoral Committee,” it said.

NFF president plans to rig Supporters Club elections – official.

The Nigeria Football Supporters Club on Monday said it had uncovered plans by Amaju Pinnick, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, to influence the NFSC election holding next month.

The Supporters Club alleged that the NFF president has given N10 million to Vincent Okumagba, a chairmanship candidate in the forthcoming election, to enable him rig.

The ex-Public Relations Officer of the club, Hafeez Balogun, said that club officials and members were enraged as information filtered in on the alleged NFF connections to Okumagba in the build-up to the elections.

Balogun said the club totally condemned the over-bearing influence of the NFF President on its activities.

He frowned at the interest of the NFF president in the daily affairs of the club, insisting that “the NFSC was determined to rebuff Pinnick as he has planned to run both the NFF as well as the Supporters Club”.

Balogun queried: “Is the NFF going to conduct elections for the Supporters Club? Why is Pinnick dishing out money to a contestant in the elections? Why is Pinnick insisting to bring a hand-picked election monitor from the NFF.

“The Supporters Club has been and will continue to remain an independent body and would not be intimidated by anybody or any organisation and we condemn the behind-the-scenes manipulations by Pinnick and his cohorts. NFSC and NFF are independent bodies with a common interest in football, but we will resist any plans to run our club by proxy. Trust me, we will resist them.”

Balogun said the development was not necessary considering that the NFF was invited to the reconciliation meeting the NFSC held with Okumagba in October at which it was decided that the club reabsorbed the impeached Chairman to allow him contest the leadership of the club in the election billed for December 10, 2016.

Okumagba, who acted as the Club’s National Chairman, was impeached in July for gross misconduct, anti-club activities, abuse of office and flagrant disrespect for constituted authority.

Balogun, however, added that the club “in the spirit of fair play postponed its elections which would have held this November to allow Okumagba to contest.

“We also dissolved the executive committee of the Club so that no one will influence the elections and then we set up a steering committee instead to oversee the affairs of our club in the run-up to the elections.

“However, it seems that the hand of friendship we have extended has been taken for granted and those who are sowing the seeds of trouble will not succeed”, Balogun added.

Efforts to reach the NFF Chairman as well as the Chairman of the Steering Committee, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, for their comments by mobile phone were not successful as automated messages from their network providers said the numbers were switched off.

Other members of the Steering Committee include Alhaji W.A Yusuf, Benjamin Ebor, Vincent Okumagba and Yomi Whesu.

Elder Issac Ukpebor, Pastor A. Aregbesola, Rev. Samuel Ikpea and Dora Dadogobo are also members.

Giwa Versus NFF : Court Adjourns Hearing To March 10

A Federal High Court sitting in Jos on Wednesday adjourned the case filed by Chris Giwa to relist his case against Amaju Pinnick, President, Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), to March 10, 2016.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that Giwa had approached the court to declare him the President of the NFF and, the election of Aug. 26, 2014 that brought him, be upheld.

 

The case was withdrawn following pressures from major football stakeholders and threat by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), to sanction the country.

 

But Giwa, through his counsel, Mr Habila Ardzard, filed a request that the case be relisted.

 

Counsel to NFF and the Ministry of Sports, Mr Damon Dashe, filed an affidavit and requested for more time to prepare for the defense.

 

The defense counsel also requested for an adjournment to enable the lead counsel Festus Keyamo who was absent in court on Wednesday, to appear in the next hearing.

 

The judge, Justice Musa Kurya, accepted the request and adjourned the case to March 10 for hearing.

 

 

(NAN)

CHAN 2016: NFF, Oliseh Apologise To Nigerians Over Super Eagles’ Elimination

Coach Sunday Oliseh, has apologised over the failure of his team to make it from their group stage at the ongoing 2016 African Nations Championship.

 

 

This was revealed in a tweet by the official handle of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.

 

“Coach @SundayOOliseh: We apologize to Nigerians for this loss, we never planned to exit the tournament this early. The boys gave their best”.

 

 

 

Coach Sunday Oliseh said that losing 1-0 to Guinea in yesterday’s last group C match of the Africa Nations Championship, was something he and his team did not envisage.

 

 

He regretted the loss coming after the Super Eagles have chalked up four points from their two previous matches and only needed a draw against Guinea to advance to the quarter-final.

 

 

“We apologise to Nigerians for this loss, we never planned to exit the tournament this early. The boys gave their best,” said a sober Oliseh after the game.

 

 

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation also expressed regrets over the Super Eagles shock exit.

 

 

NFF president, Amaju Pinnick reiterated that the African Nations Championship is “both developmental and preparatory for bigger challenges,” and said without mincing words that the Federation would now shift focus to the qualification race for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

 

 

“We apologise to Nigerians for the poor outing of the Super Eagles in Rwanda, but we toe the line of CAF which states that CHAN is a developmental and preparatory competition. Of course, as Nigerians, we love to win always, and we feel bad when we don’t.

 

 

“I want us to take the positives from this tournament. A player like Chisom Chikatara broke onto the global platform and players like Usman Mohammed, Chima Akas, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Austin Oboroakpo and Ifeanyi Mathew confirmed their class.

 

 

“For me, it is disappointing that we did not progress. But the NFF will now focus on the 2017 AFCON qualifiers, and start preparations early for the remaining rounds,” Pinnick said.

 

 

Credit : Vanguard

NFF President Pinnick, Chris Giwa Exchange Fisticuffs In Show Of Shame

The meeting called yesterday by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung had all the trappings of reopening the already settled leadership crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). It took a dangerous turn when the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa who is laying claim to the same office almost engaged each other in fisticuffs.

 

 

Pinnick and his greatest challenger, Giwa were locked in a battle for the soul of the NFF after the election in Warri, Delta State on September 30, 2014 which produced the present board. The Confederation of African Football and FIFA have both recognised the Amaju Pinnick-led board. Giwa lost his case both in Fifa and the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS. And this was after he had withdrawn his case from a Jos court when Fifa moved to ban Nigeria.

 

 

For more than one year peace reigned in Nigerian football and the meeting the minister called was generally condemned by football stakeholders who said the action was tantamount to waking up a dead horse which could trigger off another bad blood.

 

 
Giwa was laying claim to the NFF top seat, saying he was duly elected after the August 26, 2014 controversial election in Abuja in which delegates massively boycotted.

 

 

Dalung, a known friend of Giwa back home from Plateau State who just assumed office late last year seemingly reopened the case and initiated an unnecessary peace move that turned out an anti-climax. between the two warring factions. During the meeting, tempers rose, resulting in altercations from both men who called each other unprintable names.

 

 

But for the intervention of Dalung who sat in between the two angry men, the situation would have resulted in the two men using their fists as they wanted.

 

 

However, after the fracas which lasted for about five minutes, the meeting continued. After long hours of deliberation, the meeting was deadlocked. The Minister told reporters that the meeting will reconvene next week Wednesday.

 

 

He asked both parties to maintain the peace and that he will try to resolve the problem in the interest of football and the country.

 

 

According to him, the meeting has given him the opportunity to hear from both parties.

 

 

On what FIFA would do if the crisis persists, Dalung said he knows that the world body rules over the game adding that they will also be interested to see that the right thing was done.

 

 

“I have the will power and the political power to resolve the issue and I am optimistic that this issue will be resolved. We have decided to hear from them because this is a democracy, if we were in a military dictatorship I may have just decreed and asked one party to step down.”

 

 

Credit : Vanguard

Arsene Wenger Offers to Train Nigerian Coaches

In the bid to build alliances that would strengthen football in Nigeria, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, has revealed that his visit to Arsenal was not to talk about players alone, as Arsene Wenger was teaching him some trade secrets, which has made Arsenal a very top side.

The president further stated that, “if you want to be the best, then you must roll with the best, as the English Premier League manager will start tutoring handlers of Nigeria national teams.

“Arsene taught me a couple of things during my visit even in administration. You need to learn from the best to be ranked among the best”. he said

“I hailed his knowledge, he’s truly a professor. It goes beyond just teaching you things on the field,
there’s need to also gain some knowledge off the field too.

“He has also pledged to make himself available to us whenever we needed to train our senior coaches, Arsene was overwhelmed by our visit.”
source: PM news

Pinnick, Others Know Fate Friday

There are strong indications that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Elections Appeal Committee will this Friday give its verdict on the petitions filed by aggrieved parties against the NFF election that produced Amaju Pinnick and his executive committee.

The development came as one of the petitioners and participants in the disputed poll, Iyke Igbokwe, on Monday submitted written response to argument of defence filed by Pinnick, literarily rubbishing every item of the defence.

In his closing statement at last week’s public hearing, Chairman of the Appeals Committee, Okey Ajunwa, a lawyer, had vowed to give both petitioners and respondents time to reply, where necessary, assuring them of opportunity to present their cases.

We leant that the committee may come out with its position on Friday since all the parties have filed their responses.

Our source hinted that the committee deliberately delayed its verdict until after the Africa Cup of Nations final group A qualification match between the Super Eagles and South Africa, so as to avoid anything that could disrupt the match in the event that the outcome is unfavorable to current office holders.

Igbokwe, in his response, dismissed the defence claim that the committee lack jurisdiction to entertain the case on grounds that 14 days allowed by the electoral code has elapsed.

Read more at http://dailyindependentnig.com/2014/11/pinnick-others-know-fate-friday/?