By Amaechi Agbo

Former Nigeria Football Federation President, Ambassador Chris Giwa have won the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Plateau State North Senatorial Ticket for the 2023 elections.

Recall that Ambassador Giwa assumed the headship of the NFF on Monday, June 28, 2018 following Supreme Court ruling that restored him as the President of the federation after lingering election case.

To emerge winner in the Plateau North Senatorial primary election last week, Amb Giwa defeated two other aspirants and polled 213 votes to beat his closest challenger, Hon. Mafeng Gwalson who scored 150 votes.

The third aspirant, Lumumba Adeh withdrew from the contest before the commencement of the polls.

Chairman of the Electoral Panel, Hon. Musa Gidado, declared the result and urged the aspirants to work together to ensure that they win the secondary election.

Speaking after the victory, Giwa thanked all stakeholders and delegates for their support and assured them that he will carry all along to ensure that the party emerge victorious in the general election.

Giwa’s NFF Presidency

Ambassador Chris Giwa was elected President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF on August 26, 2014 in a election conducted in Abuja but the election was reportedly not recognised by world football governing body, FIFA.

FIFA eventually supervised another election on September 30 in Warri, Delta State, after it had threatened to ban Nigeria from all its activities. Amaju Pinnick eventually got elected with 32 votes out of the 44 votes and stepped into office.

Following the development, Giwa pursued his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports, where he lost and was banned from football-related activities by FIFA

However, the Supreme Court on June 5 set aside Pinnick’s election and recognised Giwa as substantive chairman.

Some board members who followed Giwa were: Chairman Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Obinna Ogba; board member representing North West, Shehu Adamu; Sanni Ferma for North East; board member representing South South, Johnson Effiong; Sunday Ajayi for South West and Yaya Adams for North Central.

However, following a purported ban by FIFA, then Acting President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, a team of Nigeria’s secret Police, the Department of Security Service, DSS was deployed to the Glass House, then NFF office and barres Chris Giwa-led NFF Board from seating.