Lagos/Nigeria - Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi annuls NFF elections

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We deceived FIFA, Nigerians, Ogba confesses
MONDAY, 06 SEPTEMBER 2010 00:00 EDITOR SPORT - HOME
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IMMEDIATE past Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Obinna Ogba, at the weekend stunned the country when he confessed to the many lies concocted by the NFF to keep its members in power, including deceiving world football governing body, FIFA, on the state of Nigerian football administration.
Ogba, in an interview published by a local website, The Nigerian Social Worker, also revealed that the NFF makes over N1.2 billion annually from sponsorship, admitting as well that the federation got a court order stopping the elections, which saw the emergence of Aminu Maigari as the new president of the body.
On the court injunction, Ogba said: “It’s true that there was a Lagos court order served on the NFF board. I am aware that Super Eagles’ former player, Chikelue Iloenyoesi, served the injunction on Aminu Maigari. The assistant secretary general of the federation presented it at our last board meeting.
“Based on the premise that the present federal government under President Goodluck Jonathan respects and stresses its official mantra in the rule of law, board members reasoned and all agreed that the election be postponed on that ground. It was part of our communiqué. The Congress vetoed it; remember, too, that the congress is the highest organ of decision in the game.
“The Director General of the National Sports Commission, Patrick Ekeji, even called myself, the then acting president, Aminu Maigari, and Dominic Iorfa to advise the NFF board to obey and respect the court order. They wrote us in that effect and left us to take the decision.”
On the decision to keep the truth from FIFA, Ogba said “there was an advocacy that the board should keep quiet and refuse to tell FIFA about the court order. Here, let me tell you, a member of the board, Dr. Peter Singabele, met with the CAF and FIFA observers and let them know of the court order, which he showed them.
“In principle, FIFA was aware of the court order but a clique of people hiding under the cloak of FIFA decided to manipulate the Congress to ignore the court and conducted the election.”
Ogba revealed that the election into the present board was manipulated by some people, who wanted to continue controlling Nigerian football, adding that there was no way an outsider would have won a seat on the board. According to him, “the former leadership of the board under Sani Lulu had the delegates in their firm grips. Their loyalty to him is 100 per cent.
“He dictated the outcome of the election. I have no regrets about how we got to this position. I can’t spit and go back to lick the spit. I have a name to protect. The impeachment was done to save Nigeria’s face and Nigerian football. Nigerians wanted and applauded what we did.
“For those who spit on the ground and went begging on their chest and licked their spittle in the process, so be it. None of us that signed the impeachment returned. It’s okay.
“I wish the others would take it in good faith and watch the proceedings. It’s only change that is permanent in life. Something will soon happen. Watch out.”
Ogba described most of the people controlling Nigerian football of as jobless men, stating: “Football administration is their full time job. They can’t survive outside football. To me, it’s a hobby. I’ve returned to my politics and business.
“Candidly, we needed to have used the will of the Sports Minister, Ibrahim Bio, to got it right once and for all. We have squandered it. This opportunity may not come our way again. Anyhow, at worst four years is by the corner.”
Ogba, who was chairman of the Marketing and Sponsorship Committee in the last board, revealed that the board generated in a year about N1.2 billion, but failed to reveal how the money was spent. He also denied knowledge of the actual amount of money that accrued to the board from sponsorship, FIFA and the Federal Government.
“By now I hope the EFCC would have gone deep enough into the matter,” he said. “I hope they will be able to make public their findings. They will know the individual involvement as it concerns money.
“I was just a board member. I do not have approval limits or powers. Mine is to attend meetings and contribute my quota and return to my state. I don’t know how much was generated.
“I know that a lot of monies came into the coffers of the NFF during our tenure. Our board participated in all FIFA, CAF and WAFU competitions. These will require so much money to prosecute. I am not defending anybody but I also do know that most of the things that were done during our time did not pass or get approval of the board. The records are there to show.
“For instance, when we returned from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the president told us there was no money to pay the legitimate allowances of board members. We believed him, only for the EFCC to freeze our account and got to know how much was there. It baffled us.”
On government interference on the affairs of the NFF, Ogba admitted that the Federal Government funds the federation, and therefore had the right to inquire how the money was spent. He stated: “We are all aware of the fact that Decree 101 is an existing law. It is on the strength of that the National Assembly appropriates funds for the NFF.
“Our board lied to FIFA that Decree 101 has been repealed. This is not true. This is fraud. For government to have put money in the NFF, taxpayers’ money, she has a right to ask how the monies are spent. That does not amount to government interference. This is a part of the primary duty of good governance.”

Abeg make MY-GARRI go siddon for gutter. The man just decieved us with Siasia's appointment, got popular, got the votes and did a sea change.