By Andrew Warshaw
July 18 – FIFA looks set to lift its suspension on Nigeria imposed because of government interference in the affairs of the country’s national federation.
Last week, amid the continuing fallout from the country’s World Cup pay dispute, FIFA clamped down hard on the Nigerians after several officials, notably NFF president Aminu Maigari, were thrown out as a result of court proceedings that barred Maigari and his board from running the federation.
Nigerian authorities issued an order for the sports ministry to appoint new football leaders but FIFA warned the suspension would stay in place until such court action had been withdrawn.
FIFA gave Nigeria an extended deadline until Thursday to comply with its directives to vacate the court case and reinstate the NFF executive committee. That’s exactly what has now happened after a regional high court quashed the mandate restraining the NFF board from operating.
Paul Bassey, spokesman of the NFF’s technical committee, said “commonsense has now prevailed”.
The latest move clears the way for Nigeria to take part in the Under-20 Women’s World Cup that starts in August in Canada as well as a men’s under-17 African Championship qualifier this weekend.
“Aggrieved parties have agreed to put the country before personal interest and this is a bold step in our quest to have the ban lifted,” the BBC quoted a top official as saying.
“This should have been sorted earlier but a judiciary workers’ strike led to it being delayed. We are extremely confident now that FIFA will be happy that we got everything resolved before the new deadline.”
The Super Eagles defend their Africa Cup of Nations title when qualifying starts in September. The tournament proper kicks off next January in Morocco but although the current crisis has been resolved, the bigger picture is still one of internal administrative strife.
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