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By Ebube Dike

The end to the lingering crisis rocking the Anambra State Football Association since July this year may be far off if the body language of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF to disrespect the directive of the minister of youth and sports development, Sunday Dare is implemented.

According to report online, chieftains of the nation’s football umpire and their counterparts in Anambra state have began clandestine moves aimed at disobeying the directives of the sports ministry which earlier on Monday advised the NFF to recognise the result of the August 2 virtual election that returned Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah as chairman of the state football association.

In a 4-page letter signed by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Gabriel Aduda, the Nigeria football federation where advised to uphold the result of the August 2 Anambra FA election and that all grievances, if any, should be directed to the electoral committee in line with the NFF statutes and extant laws.

 However, the NFF has acted swiftly by first discussing their next line of action which according to a top source, points to the fact that they are bent on disobeying the ministerial directives.

 The source who spoke on condition of anonymity said some top officials of the NFF discussed the ministry’s letter on phone and resolved among themselves that there is no going back.

Referring to the letter, they were quick to point out a line in the second to last paragraph where the ministry said they were advising the NFF to uphold the result of the August 2 NFF election. In their words, “it is only an advice and we have the right to take it or refuse as the case may be”.

To this end, the NFF has mobilized youths in Anambra state to take up placards and protest against the ministry’s directives. They are using this as a first way at making the sports ministry understand that this was not their position but that of the youths and other key stakeholders in the state.

 Secondly they have summoned an emergency meeting involving members of the NFF executive committee for Tuesday October 20, as they seek to deliberate on the verdict among other pressing football matters Our source was categorical in his position that the NFF is not relenting on making sure Senator Ifeanyi Ubah is not returned as FA chairman for a second term in fulfilment of a pact they signed with the executive governor of Anambra state, Willie Obiano.