Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Amaju Melvin Pinnick has defended his London trip where he watched Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 in the English Community Shield clash on Sunday at the Wembley Stadium.

The NFF boss was widely criticized for dumping the Dream Team VI and Super Falcons Olympic qualifying matches in Congo and Equatorial Guinea respectively, in addition to other top Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matches over the weekend. But Mr. Pinnickpreferred to settle for the England trip to watch the game in company of the new Super Eagles coach, Sunday Ogorchukwu Oliseh.

In a swift reaction, Mr. Pinnick, the former Delta State Football Association chairman, took to his Twitter account to state his position regarding the controversial London trip. “Hello all, no doubt I am an Arsenal fan but I will never relegate my calling at NFF for Arsenal,” he said.

“When Arsenal was playing against Manchester some months ago, I was on the road to Ibadan to watch 3SC against Rangers,” he continued. “My vision about my mission in NFF is clear and by God's Grace, we shall get there.

“I came into London for meetings with a consortium of would-be sponsors, some requested to see the Head Coach. Aside that, there are a lot of global politics going on and if Nigeria must be accorded her pride of place in global football politics, then we must participate at the highest level,” his tweets continued.

“I appeal for your understanding and prayers, nothing good comes easy.”

Source: http://saharareporters.com/2015/08/03/why-i-dumped-nigerian-matches-arsenal-chelsea-clash-london-nff-president-explains

Lots of politics going on .............
BS : Bull****

f00lish NFF president!!! you are not ashamed to say you are an Arsenal fan. its like the English FA president saying he is a fan of Enyimba FC or Kano pillars FC.

Raiders:
f00lish NFF president!!! you are not ashamed to say you are an Arsenal fan. its like the English FA president saying he is a fan of Enyimba FC or Kano pillars FC.

Lol..Relax abeg.

Una blood too dey hot.

This is a big insult.....why not just scrab Nigerian league if he cant be a fan to it.......this is bullshit

He was sincere about his visit. Cut him some slack. Ain't we all fans of European clubs?

Boss13:
He was sincere about his visit. Cut him some slack. Ain't we all fans of European clubs?

Shey na him own money he use go watch dey match? He used public money to travel down to England to watch a club he is a fan of and he trying to tell us there is nothing wrong with it. Oya, he should show us evidence that he went there for "meeting with sponsors" and the other crap he talked about. That's why I will always support Nigerian government taking her hands off soccer completely. Too much free money in the hands of these men. If NFF is allowed to source for its money like other FAs around this kind of nonsense won't be happening. Which corporate body go give you money for sponsorship make you take dey fly up and down dey go watch your team? Even gather enough liver come dey tell us say you be arsenal fan.

woleainajnr:
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Amaju Melvin Pinnick has defended his London trip where he watched Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 in the English Community Shield clash on Sunday at the Wembley Stadium.

The NFF boss was widely criticized for dumping the Dream Team VI and Super Falcons Olympic qualifying matches in Congo and Equatorial Guinea respectively, in addition to other top Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matches over the weekend. But Mr. Pinnickpreferred to settle for the England trip to watch the game in company of the new Super Eagles coach, Sunday Ogorchukwu Oliseh.

In a swift reaction, Mr. Pinnick, the former Delta State Football Association chairman, took to his Twitter account to state his position regarding the controversial London trip. “Hello all, no doubt I am an Arsenal fan but I will never relegate my calling at NFF for Arsenal,” he said.

“When Arsenal was playing against Manchester some months ago, I was on the road to Ibadan to watch 3SC against Rangers,” he continued. “My vision about my mission in NFF is clear and by God's Grace, we shall get there.

“I came into London for meetings with a consortium of would-be sponsors, some requested to see the Head Coach. Aside that, there are a lot of global politics going on and if Nigeria must be accorded her pride of place in global football politics, then we must participate at the highest level,” his tweets continued.

“I appeal for your understanding and prayers, nothing good comes easy.”

Source: http://saharareporters.com/2015/08/03/why-i-dumped-nigerian-matches-arsenal-chelsea-clash-london-nff-president-explains

I still get piss.ed of when I see south africa ahead of Nigeria in sports organisation,stadiums and projection on t.v.........while this knuckle head even has the effrontery to say that he is an arsenal fan.........things like this gets people fired in saner societies..........u left your country's game to watch a foreign club football.....and people are dying here to watch the u23 match.......smh

If it was Keshi now, his sack letter would have been waiting for him

“I came into London for meetings with a consortium of would-be sponsors, some requested to see the Head Coach. Aside that, there are a lot of global politics going on and if Nigeria must be accorded her pride of place in global football politics, then we must participate at the highest level,” his tweets continued.

Liar, liar, your pants are on fire You've got a nose as long as a telephone wire. You are henceforth pronounced guilty until proven innocent.