The House of Representatives Committee on Sports has ordered the Chris Giwa-led leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to vacate office with immediate effect.
The Committee’s decision was a fallout of three-day interactive meetings with key stakeholders in the nation’s football management.
At a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, Chairman of the committee, Godfrey Ali Gaiya, said the panel’s decision was based on the fact that the purported election of August 26, 2014 that brought Chris Giwa’s team did not conform with the Federation’s statutes, as well as such regulations, since it was supposed to be a non-election congress.
“The Committee urges all interested parties to have recourse to the advice contained in FIFA letter of September 3, 2014,” Gaiya stated while also imploring the congress to meet “soonest to decide a new road map and schedule an election that allow all eligible Nigerians to participate freely and fairly.”
Fielding questions from journalists, Gaiya stated that the election that brought Giwa should not have taken place, given assurance that all Nigerians who should know the rules, all parties would abide by the Committee’s directive before the September 8 FIFA deadline.
“Whatever that is not in tandem with the statues should not be allowed to stand,” he stated while debunking the assertion that as part of government, the directive may be seen as Government’s intervention in football matters.
“FIFA have respect for the parliament, because we represent the people, and we are speaking for the people.”
The lawmaker noted that the parliament was acting as an independent arm of the government.
