NFF drama continues and possible ban looms as Fifa rebuffs Solomon Dalung's request for a meeting

NIGERIA'S participation in global football tournaments is hanging by a thread after global federation Fifa rejected a proposed meeting with sports minister Solomon Dalung to discuss the current problems bedevilling the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).

Over the last few months, the NFF has been at the centre of a bitter spat as a renegade faction led by Chris Giwa has refused to recognise the elected leadership if Amaju Pinnick. At the last NFF congress, Mr Pinnick was voted chairman but his challenger Chris Giwa, refused to accept the result and has been challenging it in court ever since.

Nigeria had been facing the prospect of a Fifa ban after the federal government ordered the duly elected NFF chairman Amaju Pinnick to stand down and respect a Supreme Court ruling that negated his election. Fifa president Gianni Infantino, has made it crystal clear, however, that the federation only recognises Mr Pinnick as the NFF chairman.

As the crisis mounted and a certain Fifa ban looming, the presidency reacted and security men from the Department of State Services (DSS) stormed the NFF secretariat and ordered Mr Giwa and his team, who had been occupying the office out of the building. Over the last few days, acting president Professor Yemi Osinbajo has met with Mr Pinnick and Mr Dalung to resolve the matter but it appears that the Giwa camp is still pressing to be recognised.

Mr Dalung too appears to be backing Mr Giwa and has asked Mr Infantino for a meeting to discuss the matter but Fifa has quietly rebuffed him. Fifa, who had given Nigeria until  August 20 for Chris Giwa to vacate the NFF offices declined Mr Dalung's request, saying its president is indisposed during the proposed period.

Fifa also pointed out that Mr Giwa was part of the proposed delegation and that he is serving a five-year ban from taking part in any kind of football-related activity. Ardzard Habilla, Mr Giwa's lawyer, insists, however, that Fifa cannot ban Nigeria as it needs to be sorted out internally by the country’s judiciary.

He added that the threat by Fifa was a calculated attempt to subvert the constitution of the country and an act of neo-colonialism. Mr Habilla said: “Do we take it that Fifa laws are superior to the judgment of the highest court in our land, the Supreme Court and has Fifa elevated itself before the constitution of Nigeria?”  

"When we went to Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), it said that the issue before it is not the validity of the election and that it is the domestic law of Nigeria that should determine the validity of an election or elections. Fifa is bound by the decision of CAS and that is why the Giwa-led board went to court to determine the validity of those elections.”

If Nigeria is suspended from Fifa, it will mean that both the national teams and clubsides cannot participate in international tournaments. Since Mr Dalung took over as sports minister, the country's federations have been in constant turmoil and at the moment, there are two Nigerian basketball associations, each claiming legitimacy.