Tension as NFF exco meets

THERE is palpable tension in the Glass House, the seat of football administration in the country as the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation meets today in Abuja.
Emerging from the brink of extinction, after it was saved by FIFA’s insistence on its reinstatement, the Alhaji Aminu Maigari-led board will today face its stiffest test for survival.

Reports reaching Sports Vanguard have it that the Executive Committee of the NFF has been divided since the Mrs Baribote court case saga which saw the board sacked, first through an injunction by a Jos High Court Judge and then by an extra-ordinary Congress of the NFF before it was reinstated. Continue....

BEFORE THE CRACK: Dr. Rafiu Ladipo (m) raises the hands of Chief Mike Umeh (l) and Aminu Maigari after their election in 2010.

BEFORE THE CRACK: Dr. Rafiu Ladipo (m) raises the hands of Chief Mike Umeh (l) and Aminu Maigari after their election in 2010.

We gathered that the division among the ranks is so wide that members of the different blocs are maintaining their long-held views on how affairs of the football house should be run.
While the reinstated President of the NFF, Aminu Maigari is leading one camp, the other is being led by Chief Mike Umeh, the First Vice President of the federation.

In the Maigari’s camp are the likes of Chris Green(Chairman of the Technical Committee), Emeka Inyama(Chairman of the Media Committee), Ahmed Fresh, Hon. Suleiman Kwande and Ahmed Kawu.
On his part, Chief Umeh leads the likes of the all-powerful Chairman of Chairmen, Effiong Johnson, the man who convened the emergency congress that endorsed the Jos High Court injunction, Deji Tinubu, DiliChukwu Onyedinma, Dr Shehu Adamu and Muazu Suleiman.

The only neutral member whose allegiance could not be ascertained as at Press time was Chairman of Enyimba FC of Aba, Felix Anyansi-Agwu who was absent from the controversial extra-ordinary congress. It is however, expected that Anyansi-Agwu might pitch tent with the Mike Umeh bloc as Inyama’s allegiance to the Maigari group could hurt his interest of a second term.

In a release announcing the meeting yesterday, Assistant Director of Information, Ademola Olajire said
among the issues, the 13-member Committee is set to discuss is a review Nigeria’s participation in the recently –concluded 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, appraise the preparation of the U-20 Women National Team, Falconets, for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals in Canada next month and also deliberate on Nigeria’s participation in the qualifying series for the 2015 African U-17 and African U-20 Championships.

The body will also discuss the issue of technical crew for the Senior National Team, Super Eagles, as the qualifying series for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations knock on the door, as well as deliberate on the preparation of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, for the 9th African Women Championship in Namibia in October this year.

There will also be talk on the 2014 Annual General Assembly of the Federation, which is the elective Congress, set for next month as well as the grand finale of this year’s Men and Women Federation Cup competitions, tentatively slated for Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Saturday, August 16.