World Football Governing Body, FIFA, on Tuesday disregarded the Court of Arbitration for Sports over the leadership crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) by asking the NFF to go ahead with its planned Congress.
CAS in a petition filed by NFF Vice President Obinna Ogba and others had ordered status quo ante pending the determination of the case before it, even as CAS asked FIFA to respond to the petition within 20 days, before a final pronouncement is expected on the matter.
But FIFA on Tuesday wrote former NFF President, Aminu Maigari acknowledging the receipt of a letter dated September 8 with regards to the decision taken by FIFA’s Emergency Committee that met on September 3.
In the said letter signed by its Secretary General, Jerome Valke, FIFA noted that it received a letter from the NFF assurancing it of compliance to its directives and with an explanation of the positive steps taken to normalise the situation.
“We noted that your (sic) and the management of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) were able to return to office and work without hindrance. We also noted that the persons claiming to have been elected vacated the premises of the NFF. Against this background, we would like to confirm that the conditions set out in FIFA’s aforementioned correspondence of 3 September 2014 have been complied with and that the NFF is, accordingly, not suspended.”
Lending its support to Maigari that has resigned as NFF president, FIFA said, “We now expect the NFF Executive Committee to meet as soon as possible in order to convene an extra ordinary general assembly to decide on the road map leading to the elections which should be open to all persons complying with the NFF status and regulations. “These elections should also be organized as soon as possible under NFF status and regulations.”
FIFA also emphasised that should the electoral process be affected by any interference or mishap, the case would be referred to the appropriate FIFA bodies and that FIFA would monitor the situation as the NFF progresses towards the elections.
