Corruption FIFA: Buhari Urged To Demystify NFF

Former special adviser to the immediate past governor of Kano State, Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso on sports matter, Ahmed Gara Gombe urged the new government of President Mohammadu Buhari to in view of the current corruption scandal hitting the world soccer ruling body (FIFA), probe the activities of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to demnystified Nigeria from corruption in football.

Gara, a former chairman of Gombe State Football Association noted that Nigeria as an affiliate member of the world soccer ruling body and signatory to its statutes and convention, whatever affect FIFA would have implication on the nation’s domestic football.

He alleged that the operations of the Nigeria Football Federation in the last five years been shrouded in secrecy turning the resources to a black box and private pockets. He said all the funds that accrued to the NFF from FIFA’s grant and other sources under the past administration of Alhaji Aminu Maigari between 2010 and 2014 were unaccounted for.

“Whatever happen to FIFA, affect CAF and it would have implication on domestic football. If look at the last tenure of Aminu Maigari all the funds that came into NFF from different sources were unaccounted.

“When Lulu was leaving, he said he left N2.8billion in NFF’s account, but up till today nobody can tell us how that money was utilised. Lulu has written to government severally and many people have also written petitions to the previous government on the matter but they were all suppress.

“Between 2010 and 2014 of Maigari tenure in NFF, there were so many money that came into NFF’s account from different sources but they have not been accounted for. Within this period, there was no single record of how much money we make from friendly matches and we played about eight or six friendly matches. Another $400,000 and $250, 000 for NFF secretariat has also not been accounted for. They have been collecting subversion from federal government, N150million every month and from 2010 up till now, it has not be accounted for. There are many other money that has not accounted for,” he stated.

According to him, the new government has the opportunity of capitalizing on the current corruption scandal in FIFA to demystify issues relating to the 2014 World Cup’s money and furnituring of the new NFF’s headquarter, Sunday Dankaro House, so that Nigerians can now know about it and who to hold accountable for.

“The account of the 2014 World Cup has not be render and the financial of FA supposed to end at the end of world cup and it must be approved by the congress. That too is also hanging and Maigari has not explain it till today. About eight petitions were written about that money to EFCC, but they refused to act on them simply because somebody somewhere close to Maigari was intervening and all the petition about Maigari were suppress down,” he lamented.