Friday, August 15, 2014

Reports 'Fifa Re-Instates Maigari as NFF President' Untrue

Bad Journalism as most Nigerian Newspapers reported that the 'World football governing body, FIFA has reinstated impeached President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Aminu Maigari with immediate effect. It also directed that the planned August 26 elections must hold on the said date.'
'Fifa Re-Instates Maigari as NFF President' Untrue

Vanguard, Dailypost, The Guardian and others all had the headlines: FIFA restores Maigari as Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President. Common sense, that would be FIFA interference.

In a statement titled Situation of the Nigeria Football Federation, which was signed by its Deputy Secretary-General Markus Kattner, FIFA said in the correspondence addressed to NFF Secretary-General Musa Amadu that Maigari's impeachment by some members of the Executive Committee of the NFF did not follow due process and was not ratified by the Congress of the NFF,

"We take note of your explanation with regards to the meeting of the NFF held on 24 July and it would appear that the said meeting didn't comply with some statutory provisions (e.g. deadline for the convocation of the meeting and for the sending of the Agenda). In addition, in a correspondence addressed to FIFA, Mr. Maigari denied the course of events and complained that he had even not been given the possibility to answer the allegations against him.

"We have also been informed that members of the NFF Executive committee decided to sanction two other Executive Committee members for six months and one year. By so doing, it seems the said meeting of the Executive Committee went beyond the prerogative which is limited to suspend provisionally, persons or organs, until the following Congress, during which the sanctions are confirmed or lifted. Finally, we also learnt that some members of the electoral committee and electoral appeal committee duly elected by the Congress in November 2013, were removed from their position by the Executive Committee, which is contrary to the segregation of powers.

"The recent decisions of the Executive Committee are highly questionable with regard to the compliance with the statutes and should anyway be confirmed by the Congress. In the meantime, the different sanctions and suspensions are preventing persons to contest the elections.

"Under these circumstances, we deem that the NFF Congress will exercise its sovereign power through the electoral process, which shall be open to everybody and managed by the electoral committee elected by the Congress in their entirety. The Executive Committee of the NFF shall also be reunified as it was before the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Taking into account the internal divisions in the Executive Committee, it is advisable that major decisions are frozen until the elections of 26 August and that the focus will now be on the program of the candidates and the development of Nigerian football". The statement continued.

Acting President of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) Mike Umeh has debunked claims that Aminu Maigari has been restored as the president of federation.

World football governing body,FIFA wrote a letter to the NFF questioning the legality that ousted Maigari as president,adding that it was devoid of their statutes.

But Umeh maintained that the letter has been misinterpreted,insisting that Maigari has tendered his resignation letter.

“I want to use this opportunity to urge the media to refrain from misinterpreting the letter from FIFA. As a body, the Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation has gone through the letter and noted the contents.

“We have noted, among others, the section in which FIFA talked about restoring the electoral committee and the electoral appeals committee, and the advice that we allow Alhaji Aminu Maigari to preside over the coming elective Congress of 26th August, 2014.

“We will sit down and deliberate on everything and will come out with our position. FIFA officials are themselves aware that Alhaji Maigari has resigned his position and it will be the discretion of the Executive Committee to now invite him to the elective Congress. An elective Congress is never really presided over by anyone.”

“For the avoidance of doubt, Alhaji Maigari tendered his resignation letter on 12th August, 2014.”

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