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By Amaechi Agbo

Describe them as one-month-one-controversy, you will not be far from the truth but the fact remains that the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has been associated with so much controversies since 2014, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

Right from the controversial election in Warri, Delta State in which Amaju Pinnick was declared winner after several maneuvering in 2014, to Chris Giwa vs Amaju Pinnick court cases, not excluding allegations of corruption and the 2018 election that returned Pinnick and majority of his Executive Committee members to the board; NFF has been in one controversy or the other for the past 6 years, at least.

And just this Tuesday, 28 day of July, 2020 the federation, enmeshed in severe criticisms over how it plans to spend $1.5 million COVID-19 Federation of International Football Association, FIFA and the Confederation of African Football, CAF COVID-19 relief fund, stirred another nest of controversy after it issued a press release declaring the Monday, 27 July 2020 Anambra State Football Association’s election null and void.

In the election, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah was retuned for a second term in office as Chairman of the FA unopposed with 22 out of 26 delegates endorsing his new term.

As stakeholders in football continue to watch in askance, Bestchoicesports.com.ng has learnt that after the burial of Chidi Ofor in Enugu, former Nigeria National League Chairman on Friday, July 24, seven NFF executive committee members were allegedly fighting to go to Nnewi for the election until the number was trimmed to 2 after a ballot was conducted

According to Adewale Ajayi, who spoke in a WhatsApp platform, the NSM Rebranded, he described the release in which NFF Chairman of chairmen, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau was quoted extensively, as shameful, unfortunate and wondered why the NFF was in a haste to make an official release in an election that the Electoral Committee has not released its report.

“It is unfortunate because in the first place, this statement from Gusau shouldn’t have come from the stable of the NFF. Those men have completely lost the plot and it sad

“Why will the NFF allow Gusau write without first hearing from the chairman of its electoral committee? Before an official release is made, the NFF must hear from the chairman of its electoral committee and should be able to quote him at some point

“What Gusau has just done is a case of a man on a mission. A man who suddenly feels betrayed by his conscience and decided to go gaga. It is a shame that these are the type of individuals running our football. Men who cannot decide their left from their right. It is a shame

“Gusau went to Awka on Sunday evening and left the next morning without even taking time to see the FA members or to felicitate with chief Ubah, an old time friend, a senator of the federal republic, a man that has given him good times in the past; a man he once told me good stories about. It is rather unfortunate that he has allowed himself to be used

“I have all the details of his mission and the story of how the governor messengers eventualy shook hands with him. After that he left .

“We are still investigating who collected the 5 million naira sent in by his excellency and how it was shared. If we find out all those involved, we will not spare them. This man must know from this day that he has touched the lions tail so must be ready for war.

“A cry of ‘I want money to go do sallah’ rented the air on the eve of the election and the next morning, there was a bag and men disappeared. We will write and expose them all at the appropriate time

“Is it not the same man who went eavesdropping and telling men to help him lobby the honourable sports minister that all he wants is federal government endorsement and that he is ready to test his popularity by contesting for the NFF presidency? He said he will do everything humanly possible to get there. All he seeks for now is federal government endorsement. (The audio for this discussion is available on a later date)

“When you set up an electoral committee for any election, their report is final. Why can’t the NFF trust the electoral committee ?

“When it is time for war, I hope they can fight. Too many clowns parading themselves as stakeholders. Men who lack the boldness to take their heads above water will jump on little opportunities like this to hurt a real stakeholders who have invested their billions into the beautiful game

“If this was a sane clime, how many of those in the NFF shouting association football are stakeholders? What stake do they have?

“The true stakeholders of Nigeria football are those who labour day and night to run football clubs, pay salaries and build stadiums.

“Senator Ubah today is the biggest football stakeholder in Nigeria. The others jump on chattered flights with their underaged girlfriends looking for estacodes only to return flaunting vouchers around

“They have combined to destroy a sport that gives us joy. Instead of them to hide their heads in shame, all they do is to flaunt their dirty linens in public and offer themselves for public ridicule,” he said.

Mr Ajayi who is revered in sports journalism and was recently bestowed with Senior Advocate of Journalists, SAJ, following his ability to raise over N3.5 million which he shared to journalists as palliatives during the lockdown occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic in the group questioned NFF’s intention in the Anambra State FA election after it turned deaf ears to other FA elections similarly conducted in some states in the country.

“Was there an election in Taraba? The answer is no!

“Was there an election in Delta state? The answer is no!

“Was there an election in Kano? The answer is no!

“Was there an election in Jos (Plateau state)? I will need answers

“What of in Kaduna where they took the election to Kafanchan. Growing up, all knew about Kafanchan is that it is outside Nigeria

“The Kano state election was stopped by a court order yet the chairman of chairmen never issued a press release

“The kano election was taken to a small village where the opposition couldn’t locate and the incumbent was returned. Did heaven fall?

“Shame on all the sane minds in the NFF who sat and watched this press release emanate from their stable. It smells of vendetta, hatred and wickedness

“We have lost our football to hijackers who have little or nothing to offer. They are daily bamboozling us with native intelligence. They are just there occupying space like matter

“Shame on all of you conspirators of evil. The only stakeholders in Nigeria football are: Senator Ifeanyi Ubah,
Kunle Soname, Hajj Gafar, Chinedu Okoye (Bimo), Bukola Olopade, Goround , Vandezzer.

“And the rest who toil day and night to feed families from their sweat. The genuine club owners not some caftan wearing comedians on a strol

“God will expose you all and free our football from your stronghold someday

“The Election in Warri that brought in Pinnick was held (despite) court order stopping it

“The election in Katsina also had a court order

“Daily they fight against government interference in football but today they recognized Obiano’s intervention and did a press release with it

“To have done a press release based on what government said is so sad,” he concluded.