Against speculations in a section of the sporting media that former FIFA Council Member, Amaju Melvin Pinnick OFR,ROI may be selected to head the proposed Normalisation Committee to midwife reforms in the governance structures of the country’s football, a top official of the country’s sports yesterday dismissed the reports as untrue.
“There is no truth in former NFF President, Amaju Pinnick coming back to head the Normalisation Committee. We were with him in Zurich yesterday and he was very specific in telling FIFA that he wants to be left alone to run his private business and enjoy his roles in global football circles ” observed the top official on telephone from Europe last night.
Although the official declined to name the persons proposed for the committee to create the roadmap for Nigeria’s football to return to where it belongs globally, he was pained that despite all the good work Pinnick did for Nigerian football, some stakeholders continue to speak negative of him.
“Pinnick deserves praises and not the toxic atmosphere that some persons have created around him. His record of massive sponsorship that he attracted to the NFF under his watch remains unmatched by any past president.
The top official also confirmed that Pinnick’s high-level contacts in CAF and FIFA remains beneficial for Nigeria.
“While other countries pray to have someone with Pinnick’s high-networth in world football as their ambassadors, it is unfortunate that the opposite is the case in Nigeria. All that we do is pull such persons down. As the Advisor to CAF President as well as the Deputy Chairman of the FIFA Men’s National Teams’ Competitions’ Committee, Pinnick has so much influence in the corridors of world football and is an asset to Nigeria because he knows which door to knock or which stakeholder to take the country’s matter to for result.
At this period of crisis in Nigeria’s football following the resignation of the Ibrahim Gusau led NFF board, Pinnick is on Nigeria’s delegation to Zurich. He played a key role yesterday as Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko led the Nigeria delegation, which also included the DG of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade; Interim General Secretary of the NFF, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme amongst other stakeholders .
FIFA is expected to name a Normalization Committee for Nigeria football before the end of the week. Primary amongst the responsibilities of the committee is to create a roadmap for a sustainable growth in the country’s football administration. The Statutes of the NFF faces serious rejig to ensure that all interests are to be accommodated instead of the present selfish Congress dominated by state FA chairmen and a handful of ‘yes-men’ of the NFF executive committee.