Crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF may have cost the embattled former president of the federation, Aminu Maigari, national honours.
Maigari who was banking on his achievements, which includes winning the AFCON 2013 trophy, FIFA U17 World Cup, leading the Falconets to the finals of World Cup as well as the Super Eagles’ performance at the World Cup in Brazil to win the honour, was dropped from the list of 305 national awardees at the dying minutes due his alleged complicity in NFF crisis.
Impeccable sources at the Glass House told Nigerian Pilot Saturday that the Bauchi-born football administrator lost out following his alleged role in the crisis rocking the football house, which led to the burning of the Glass House.
According to our source, Maigari who was initially pencilled down by government for the award was dropped in last minutes manoeuvring because of the role he was alleged to have played in the crisis, which has left the country battling the world soccer body, FIFA.
In the heat of the controversy, which resulted to his impeachment by the board, the Minister of Sports and chairman, National Sports Commission, Tammy Danagogo, intervened and directed the board to unban him to enable Maigari benefit from the award.
The Board heeding the directive of the minister did not however see the embattled former NFF president through to getting his name on the list of the awardees.
Based on the agreement, Maigari was made to tender a resignation letter to bring the imbroglio to an end, which he eventually did.
Maigari was accused of misappropriation of funds released to NFF by government as well as his inability to account for the 2010 World Cup money from FIFA.
Nigerian Pilot Saturday gathered that the Presidency was not happy with the way and manner Maigari handled the NFF crisis, allegedly turning it into a do-or-die affair and ridiculing Nigeria and government in the process.
When FIFA directed that Maigari be allowed to return to NFF to enable him conduct election into the board, the football administrator had to resort to divide and rule system, leading to many FA Chairmen and Secretaries boycotting the August 26 elective congress.
He was said to have insisted that without him at the saddle of Nigerian football, nothing would work and he was seen working with FIFA to distabilise the system until government bowed to his demand to have his way by presiding over the extraordinary congress that will work out a road map for Nigerian football.
It could also be recalled that the NFF secretariat was torched a day after Maigari returned to office, after two months.
As at the time of writing this report, the State Security Services and the Nigerian Police are still investigating the financial improprieties and the burning down of the Glass House.
However, a source at the Presidency said, “I am sure you are aware that these people have not accounted for huge sums of money and you may also wish to know that government is still investigating the strange fire that gutted the Glass House. You do not expect these kinds of characters to be honoured by Mr. President when they have so many questions to answer.”
However, critics are quick to point out that Maigari’s tenure as NFF President no doubt, recorded unparalleled achievements in recent times, as the nation won the AFCON 2013, FIFA U17 World Cup. He also led the Falconets to reach the finals of the World Cup and the Super Eagles to reach the knockout stage at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.
Source: Nigerian Pilot
