FIFA Did Not Reinstate Maigari–NFF

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has cleared the air on a letter received on Thursday, which a section of the media claimed asked the Federation to restore its former president, Aminu Maigari, to his position.

In a swift reaction, NFF acting president, Mike Umeh, in a statement, explained that there was no where FIFA told the Federation to return Maigari as president.

Umeh said Maigari resigned from office by tendering his resignation letter on August 12, 2014. He urged the media to stop misinterpreting the letter from the world football governing body.

According to the acting president, the NFF Executive Committee abided by the provisions of the NFF Statutes, as approved by FIFA, in all its actions in the past few weeks. He stated further that the Federation has not violated any rule in its dealings.

“I want to use this opportunity to urge the media to refrain from misinterpreting the letter from FIFA. As a body, the Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation has gone through the letter and noted the contents.

“We have noted, among others, the section in which FIFA talked about restoring the electoral committee and the electoral appeals committee, and the advice that we allow Alhaji Aminu Maigari to preside over the coming elective Congress of 26th August, 2014,” Umeh said.

He revealed that, “We will sit down and deliberate on everything and will come out with our position. FIFA officials are themselves aware that Alhaji Maigari has resigned his position and it will be the discretion of the Executive Committee to now invite him to the elective Congress. An elective Congress is never really presided over by anyone.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Alhaji Maigari tendered his resignation letter on 12th August, 2014.”