ABUJA: World football governing body FIFA has warned Nigeria could be
banned by Tuesday if an "elected" executive committee led by Chris Giwa
does not vacate the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) office by midnight
Monday.
In a letter dated Friday, August 29 and signed by FIFA
secretary general Jerome Valke, FIFA warned Giwa and his executives to
stop parading themselves as NFF officials.
FIFA said they do not
recognise the executives' election from Tuesday, although the global
footballing body said that "it appears the ministry of sports has
recognised them".
"We will not recognise the outcome of the above
mentioned elections and should there still be persons claiming to have
been elected and occupying the NFF offices at midnight on Monday 1
September 2014, we will bring the case to the appropriate FIFA body for
sanctions, which may include the suspension of the NFF," read the letter
addressed to NFF secretary general Musa Amadu.
Giwa and his
executives took office on Wednesday and the following day paid a
courtesy call to sports minister Tammy Danagogo, who promptly endorsed
their election.
The immediate consequence of a FIFA ban on Nigeria
would be the African champions forfeiting two 2015 Africa Cup of
Nations qualifiers fixed for September 6 against Congo in Calabar and
September 10 against South Africa in Cape Town.
The crisis caused
by the purported election has meant league matches will not be played
across the country as scheduled this weekend after referees, club
managers and players announced a boycott until the situation is
resolved.
Two months ago, Nigeria was suspended by FIFA following
direct government interference in the running of the game in the country
when a court sacked the elected NFF executive committee led by Aminu
Maigari and the sports minister appointed a civil servant to head the
NFF.
In Friday's letter, FIFA accepted the decision of the
majority congress where 39 of the 44 members resolved at an ad hoc
general assembly for executive committee elections to now take place on
September 4.
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