NIGERIA FOOTBALL FEDERATION CRISES WORSEN
(Giwa Defies FIFA Ultimate. FIFA May Suspend Nigeria)
---Attorney Patryk Utulu

The off-again on-again crises at the Nigeria Football Federation worsened and the future of Nigeria's footballing competitions put in serious jeopardy as Chris Giwa insists that he is still the President of NFF, reports Okeleji/BBC..

Giwa is refusing to vacate the office of NFF President and has refused to hand over official documents or other symbols of NFF Presidency. He insists he is the NFF president. He has ignored FIFA's ultimatum that Nigeria will be suspended from global football unless Giwa gives up his claim. Football world governing body does not recognise the election of Chris Giwa on 26 August 2014..

That has not diminished Giwa's insistence that he is NFF's legitimate president. To underscore his determination to fight on to the bitter end he told BBC Sport, "I remain the president of the NFF, a legitimate congress elected me and that is how it is...What I have said is that anyone that is aggrieved has right to appeal to NFF appeal committee...."If an appeal committee or the Court of Arbitration for Sport sits today and quashes my election, I will humbly vacate office."

IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES FOR NIGERIA:
(1): Should Mr. Giwa refuse to leave and FIFA's ban come into force NIGERIA (African champions) would not be able to play the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on 10 September in South Africa.
(2): The Confederation of African Football (CAF) says if the Super Eagles miss that match Nigeria would be disqualified from the entire Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
(3): FIFA says the ban on Nigeria will only be lifted when the NFF board as constituted on August 25, with Mr. Aminu Maigari as president, is allowed back to its offices to work.
(4): NFF now has TWO BOARDS, one led by Chris Giwa and another, led by Aminu Maigari.

Meanwhile the Aminu Maigari-led board of NFF met in Abuja recently to try to find a way to get around Chris Giwa's defiance. Also, the Chris Giwa-led board of NFF met in Abuja to map out how to move forward despite Aminu Maigari.

Patryk A. Utulu is a U.S.-based attorney and Strategic Communications Specialist
Global Defense Analyst and Global Events Commentator
Executive Vice President, Nigerian Diaspora-North America
Executive Director, The Center for Community Empowerment and Lifeskills, Inc.
[All Rights Reserved 09052014. Copyrights Strictly Enforced. Fair Use Permitted]