FIFA SUSPENSION: Federal Government and FIFA Agree On Common Working Terms

It was gathered that on Saturday, a letter from the Federal Government was dispatched to FIFA headquarters in Zurich, detailing the agreement reached between both bodies, making it imperative on the world soccer ruling body’s chieftains to drop the proposed sanctions on Nigeria from noon today, if the leadership of Amaju Pinnick is not allowed to do its jobs at the Glasshouse of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), following the legal tussle in the country’s polity.

Though the content of the letter was not disclosed, however The Nation reported that FIFA chieftain were impressed with the progress made in the negotiations with top government officials, leading to the drafting of the letter from Nigeria.

This agreement was reached after the World Football Governing body, wrote a letter to the NFF and the Nigerian government on the need to resolve the crisis in the federation, especially the trend of taking football matters to the civil courts, which the world soccer ruling body frowns on.

“In line with article. 16, paragraph. 1 of the FIFA Statutes, the Bureau of the FIFA Council decided that if by Monday, 20 August 2018, at 12:00 (CET), the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) offices are not handed back to the legitimate NFF executive committee under President Amaju Pinnick, who was duly elected on 30 September 2014, the NFF will be suspended with immediate effect for contravening art. 14 par. 1 i) and art. 19, as well as art. 14 par. 1 a) of the FIFA Statutes,” the FIFA statement said.

“The suspension would be lifted only once the NFF, under President Amaju Pinnick and General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, confirms that it has been given back effective control of the NFF and its offices.”

“Furthermore, the Bureau decided that if the suspension of the NFF takes effect, the Nigerian team currently competing in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018 will still be allowed to continue to participate in the tournament on an exceptional basis given that the tournament is underway.”