Worried by the suspension placed on Nigeria by the world football governing body (FIFA) over government interference in Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) affairs, a football stakeholder has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene and get the sports minister, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, to step up effort towards vacating the court order with immediate effect.
A chieftain of the ruling party, PDP and a sport stakeholder, Alhaji Aminu Balele Kurfi, who made the call in Abuja yesterday, said all hands should be put on deck to resolve the current impasse bedeviling football in the country.
According to him, the “ban will have multiplier effects on the economy drastically with possibility of its nose diving. Specifically, transfer of players, international club competitions and all national teams will be greatly affected.
There are procedures and avenues to explore, WAFU, CAF are all there. For God’s sake, why the rush? The tenure of Maigari-led board will come to an end in about six weeks’ time. Thank God, Mr. President has a listening ear and he is the father of the nation.
“Let’s all come together to resolve the crisis for the good of the Nigerian football” he said to our correspondent.
“The sacked board led by Alhaji Aminu Maigari has brought honours to Nigeria which Mr. President is proud of.
“I want the president to resolve this issue of suspension to enable our U-17 boys, U-20 girls and boys as well as the next Nations Cup qualifiers and the development of the game in Nigeria to continue,” Kurfi, the Dan Arewa, explained.
He implored Nigerians and football stakeholders to rally round Mr. President at this trying period to resolve the imbroglio in the interest of those who earned their living from football and our teeming youths as sports is the only rallying point for all Nigerians.
