NFF crisis: Reps order Chris Giwa to vacate office

By Joshua Egbodo
Abuja

The  Chris Giwa led leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation,(NFF)  has been ordered to vacate office with immediate effect by the House of Representatives committee on sports.
The committee’s decision was fallout of a three-day long interactive meetings with key stakeholders in the nation’s football management.

At a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, chairman of the committee, Hon.Godfrey Gaiya said the panel’s decision followed from the fact that the purported election of August 26, 2014 that brought Chris Giwa’s team did not conform with the federation’s statutes, as well as other regulations, since it was supposed to be a non-elective congress.

“The committee urges all interested parties to recourse to the
advice contained in FIFA letter of 3rd September, 2014,”  Gaiya stated while also imploring the congress to meet “soonest to decide a new road map and schedule an election that will allow all eligible Nigerians to participate freely and fairly.”
Fielding questions from journalists, Gaiya stated that the election that brought Giwa should not have taken place, given assurance that all Nigerians who should know the rules, all parties would abide by the committee’s directive before the September 8 FIFA deadline.

“Whatever that is not in tandem with the statues should not be allowed to stand,” he stated while debunking the assertion that as part of government, the directive may be seen as government’s intervention in football matters.
“FIFA have respect for the parliament, because we represent the people, and we are speaking for the people,” the lawmaker noted while explaining that the parliament was acting as an independent arm of the government.