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By Amaechi Agbo

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has cried out over the incessant cases of alleged corruption and how the group who are calling for transparency and accountability in the federation’s account have gone to their sponsors asking them to withdraw their sponsorship of the various activities of the federation, Bestchoicesports.com.ng reports.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick who explained how the ravaging coronavirus have affected the federation in the past two months noted with downcast that “disgruntled persons who are doing everything to foist a toxic environment on our football have even been writing to them to withdraw their sponsorship, threatening them and all that.”

Pinnick noted that before the “toxic issues” polluted the football environment, the board were well on the way to achieving its objective of making the NFF fully self-funding.

“COVID-19 has left businesses gasping for breath and it has been quite tough. It is tough for businesses now, so we just have to be realistic with what we expect from our sponsors and partners. We have had a number of meetings with them and we are looking at middle-ground situations that would be conducive for ourselves and for themselves. Our discussions are ongoing and we must continue to do everything to keep them in-house even as they also struggle to stay afloat. We are very practical on this matter.

“Actually, we should continue to appreciate our sponsors and partners for what they are doing. Their love of the game has kept them, as well as personal relationships. The disgruntled persons who are doing everything to foist a toxic environment on our football have even been writing to them to withdraw their sponsorship, threatening them and all that.

“I received a message an hour ago about someone wanting to take PwC, our external auditors, to court. We should all rise up and question the motives of these fellows. If not for personal relationships and their passion for the game, most of our partners would have pulled out as a result of the deleterious activities of these individuals.

“Before all these toxic issues polluted the football environment, we were well on the way to achieving our objective of making the NFF fully self-funding. At the end of the year 2018, we were about 60 per cent self-funding. But much of that progress is being eroded by these unwarranted toxic issues. All the same, we are going strong because we know that only the stout-hearted survive the big challenges, and we have that,” he said.