Aminu Maigari on Tuesday in returned to the Football Glasshouse as Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Maigari’s return to offices came just a day after the return of Musa Amadu, NFA Secretary-General.
Maigari, who returned in company of three of his board members, arrived at the football secretariat at about 1 p.m. and left around 3 p.m.
The board members, who returned with Maigari, were Chris Green, NFA technical committee, Ahmed Fresh and Ahmed Kawu.
NAN also reports that Maigari’s return was predicated on a FIFA’s directive that his led-board return to office to supervise the forthcoming election.
He told newsmen that he was at the football headquarters to complete his unfinished assignment as directed by FIFA.
“We are in the process of completing our tenure, which I believe, will usher in a new board; FIFA is the owner of this game and as they direct us, we have to quickly as possible comply.
“This is because we subscribed to them as a country, so they (FIFA) have to direct us appropriately,’’ Maigari said.
When asked why he returned to office against minister’s advise that both factions stay away from office in the interest of peace, Maigari, however, denied any knowledge of the advice.
He noted that his return to office would ensure that the Super Eagles defeat Bafana Bafana on Wednesday’s in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2015 qualifier in Cape Town.
“I want to say that since we are back, we will salvage the situation and I am optimistic that the super Eagles will make Nigeria proud in Cape Town.’’
Maigari said that the leadership crisis in the Nigerian football had set the country back from its initial gains in international football.
“We are supposed to be a united family but in a situation like this you can’t do away with crisis even if the family is smaller than what the football house is.
“The way out of this is for us to do what FIFA wants us to do; we have statutes and we must respect it as a football association.
“FIFA’s statute is the overall in as much as we subscribe to them,’’ he said.
Maigari denied knowledge of a purported letter from the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) which directed FIFA to stay action on the country’s football case until it had heard from both factions.
He ruled himself out of the forthcoming election, but noted that the NFA board under his leadership would decide on a date for the election before it would get in touch with the congress.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Sports, Tammy Danagogo, has expressed displeasure over Maigari’s appearance to the NFA secretariat on Tuesday, describing it as a “disobedience to agreement’’.
Danagogo, who said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja following Maigari’s return to office, said he was informed by the NFA secretary-general that none of the parties were in the office.
“We asked all the parties, including Maigari and Giwa factions, to stir clear of the football house so that we can amicably resolve the issues.
“The report I got as at this morning is that they were all out of that place; I don’t want them to go there and fight.
“It will be in the best interest of everybody involved to maintain the peace we have achieved up to this moment.
“I will confer with those that have the responsibility to look after that place and then do what is necessary, but I can assure you that we will sort this out by end of work today,’’ Danagogo said. (NAN)
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