FIFA reinstates Football Federation President sacked by Nigeria

Impeached for allegedly financial impropriety by members of the executive committee.  Aminu Maigari’s tenure as the president of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was abruptly brought to an end.  But after the intervention of FIFA, he was reinstated.

Alhaji Aminu Maigari returned to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), secretariat in Abuja to complete the remaining eight days of his first term as president.

The 58-year-old Bauchi indigene, who got his job back as a result of the intervention of world football governing body, FIFA, in the crisis engulfing Nigerian football, has however pledged to work with all the 13 members of the NFF board, irrespective of those who ganged up to evict him.

“There is no victor and no vanquished. We must all come together in the interest of the Nigeria game. We are all adults and we must have differences, but I am happy that those differences are now in the past and we are now of the same accord,” Maigari said as he settled into his chair.

His immediate priority is how to conduct a free and fair elections on August 26 in Warri. Maigari was restored to the post by world football governing authority, FIFA, after weeks of uncertainty at the Nigerian football headquaters, during which his Executive Committee said they had impeached him on sundry allegations.

Afterwards, the Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, asked Maigari to go back to his office at the NFF Secretariat.

Assistant Director (Communications) of the NFF, Ademola Olajire confirmed yesterday that on Maigiri’s assumption of office yesterday he had a meeting with some of the board members.

Aaccording to an NFF spokesperson, “The (football) president met Chief Mike Umeh, Hon. Shehu Adamu and Mr. Ayodeji Tinubu, some of his board members, in the office, and after hours of deliberation, Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, Chief Emeka Inyama, disclosed that the board had come together once more and that the interest of Nigeria football had prevailed.”

Speaking later about the meeting, Inyama said: “We are one big family, as we have always been. There were disagreements and misunderstanding for a number of weeks, but FIFA has cleared the air and the Government has weighed in on the side of FIFA.”

Also most likely to be on the agenda for another meeting is the issue of Super Eagles’ Head Coach, as the days tick speedily towards the commencement of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying race next month.

The NFF was unable to address the issue relating to Stephen Keshi’s re-appointment as the Head Coach due to the ongoing internal conflict.