By Jaiyeola Andrews in Abuja

Diplomacy will be employed to escape FIFA's ban, the President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick‎ assured Nigerians yesterday in Abuja.

FIFA has given Nigeria until midday Friday, October 31 to put its house in order or risks a lengthy ban that will knock off the Super Eagles from defending the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations next year in Morocco.

A Jos high Court judgment had sacked the Pinnick-led NFF board before FIFA issued the fresh ultimatum on Tuesday.

While fielding questions from State House correspondents when the Super Falcons presented the African Women Championship trophy to President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa yesterday, Pinnick hinted that his board has appealed to Chris Giwa to withdraw the case from court.

"The country is very passionate about football development. So we will do our best in making sure that we do the right thing, we do our best, taking all interests into cognizance to ensure that this does not repeat itself.
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"It is not every four years we should keep having crisis in the NFF. We’ll perfect the legislations, the NFF Act which also says that we shouldn’t go to court, we should go to CAS if you have cases, and so on and so forth. Those are the things we are setting out to achieve.

"Normally, you are not supposed to go to ordinary court for football matters but you can go if you wish because the Nigerian law is supreme. There is no way you will relegate the Nigerian law. But because we have signed on to FIFA you are meant to respect FIFA legislations.

"If we had not signed on to FIFA we would say go to hell, but we have signed on to FIFA and CAF. It’s like an association you have signed on to and therefore you need to respect its laws, but not at the detriment of your own law which of course is supreme and that is why you exist.

"So, it is a situation that you have to manage tactfully and that is what we are doing; not wanting to say Nigerian laws are not important in this regard, they are. But you should look at the bigger picture.

"But then, I believe Giwa will see reasons why he should withdraw the case and concentrate on the one in CAS. If the one in CAS favours him, it’s his luck, but if it doesn’t then he should work with us. That was what I told him yesterday," Pinnick stressed.


http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/pinnick-nigeria-will-escape-fifa-ban/192636/

As usual