Following reports of money exchanging
hands during the last elections into the
board of the Nigeria Football Federation
in Warri, newly elected President of the
NFF Amaju Pinnick has admitted to
spending money to win his election.
Reports have emanated since the Warri
elections that some individuals paid money
to the delegates to get elected unto the
board, and Pinnick has confirmed to
SL10.ng that he did use money for his
election, but denies it was used to bribe
anybody.
"I can tell you that there is no election
you don't spend money," he started. "But
it is not to bribe people," he claimed.
"You can use money for logistics, like
people coming, you fly them in and make
them happy. Even Obama spent money in
his elections. He had a trust fund.
"So I'm not going to tell you that I didn't
spend money. I spent money but not the
volume of money everybody is talk because
everybody spent money.
"Everybody that contested in that election
spent money but it's not to say you'd use
the money to bribe people. Or are you
saying I do not merit it," he asked
rhetorically.
The 44-year old also dismissed
suggestions that money also exchanged
hands before former President Aminu
Maigari was announced as a life honorary
President of the NFF.
"I can tell you that's a cooked up story
because where am I getting the money to
pay and why should I pay, there's no
truth in that.
"I sought the approval of my board
members to name Maigari as the honorary
life President because we felt he had
done well by qualifying Nigeria for all the
major competitions. And we thought he
probably has some magic wand," Pinnick
concluded.