Following the uncontrolled behavioral pattern of the sacked President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick, the Federal Government is believed to be unhappy and crossed with the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan over his refusal to call him to order in line with earlier agreement reached before the annulled NFF election.
A dependable source close to the Presidency and the office of the President of the Senate that participated in the negotiations that saw to the emergence of Pinnick as NFF President, told our correspondent, Governor Uduaghan had assured the government of good conduct on the part of Pinnick, who is his brother in-law and a close aide of his.
Our correspondent gathered that the Delta governor personally assured Senate President, David Mark that he would effective control of Pinnick, who was perceived as arrogant and brash by top officials in government in his relationship with people.
The source further said: “The governor assured the Senate President that he would control Pinnick. This was witnessed by former National Secretary of the defunct NFA, Hon Sani Toro, who was a former member of the House of Representatives. Toro was part of the team that secured government backing for Amaju Pinnick.”
It was gathered that the government is taken aback and visibly embarrassed over some decisions of Pinnick without consultation with even officials of the supervising ministry and the Minister of Sports.
“How can a critical and fundamental decision as removing the Head Coach and the coaching crew of the Super Eagles be carried out without consultations with the Sports Minister? Who personally appealed to Coach Stephen Keshi to accept handling the team pending when the federation would settle down. What Pinnick did is a clearly a slight on the Federal Government.
“How can a supervising minister fail ignorance of the actions of the NFF President? It is either he is not in control of his ministry or something is fundamentally wrong,” the source enthused.
President Goodluck Jonathan assured Coach Keshi shortly after victory of the Super Eagles in the African Cup of Nations of his support, which presidency officials insist has not been vacated.
The Federal Government is particularly irked that security report indicated that that the organized pelting of Coach Keshi and members of the Super Eagles in Abuja stadium on the eve of Nigeria’s match against Sudan was sponsored by some members of the Amaju Pinnick led-Board of the NFF just to hit at Keshi.
“President Jonathan was embarrassed by the fact that some hired fans pelted Keshi with sachet water and other missiles at Abuja stadium. He believes that the NFF Board resorted to desperate measures just to sack Keshi,” another source said.
It was gathered that the inaction of Governor Uduaghan over the actions of his brother in-law has further damaged the political arrangement that exist between the Presidency and the Delta State government as attempts by the governor to warm himself back in the Presidency has not achieved the desired results.