FIFA president Gianni Infantino has maintained that Amaju Melvin Pinnick is the recognized president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) even though a Chris Giwa faction has assumed leadership.
A Supreme Court verdict had installed Giwa as the new NFF president and he has since assumed the role notwithstanding another Federal High Court in Jos adjourning the verdict till Sept. 25.
Giwa lost the election case to Pinnick when he appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and he has been serving a ban as he is not recognized by the world football body.
Speaking at a press conference in Russia, Infantino insisted that the rules of leadership at the NFF are stated unmistakably and if Nigeria does not comply FIFA will not hesitate to issue a ban.
Infantino said, “The situation is very clear, there can be no interference in the running of the association… That’s the end of it. If any extraordinary body think they can change the situation, then Nigeria would risk to be banned.”
“It is a very clear cut and simple case as far as we are concerned. And we have made this very clear and maybe you can help us transmit it if we didn’t come across very clear enough.”
This article was most recently revised and updated 4 years ago
