Very weighty and criminal allegations of corruption have been leveled against the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, and other top-ranking officials namely Seyi Akinwunmi, Shehu Dikko, Sanusi Mohammed and Ahmed Yusuf ‘Fresh’.
They are now to clear their names in a court of law, but they are not prepared to do so, rather they have chosen to grand stand and play to the gallery, claiming among other things that the NFF leadership is being blackmailed yet again.
These same persons have abandoned their homes and offices, jumped administrative bail and have been running from pillar to post in a desperate bid to escape the long arm of the law.
They have sought the help of traditional rulers and other so-called powerful Nigerians for the various corruption investigations against them to be dropped.
Despite all their “connections”, former NFF president Sani Lulu and other top officials made themselves available in court when they were charged by the EFCC for alleged corruption.
They have since cleared their names that today Lulu is contesting to be the next Governor of Kogi State.
Why will Pinnick not follow the honourable path taken by Lulu?
It is because the high-level corruption at the NFF under his watch has been most damning, shameful, condemnable and reprehensible.
These revelations have made nonsense of the committed war against corruption that has been waged by the President Muhammadu Buhari Government.
We have clearly seen a government organisation brazenly dare the fight to rid the country of corruption, which has for many, many years held down its people.
From the incredible claim of spending $650,000 on a match against Bolivia that was never played to fraudulently bypassing the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA), the officials have shamelessly failed to be accountable.
Like Sports Minister Solomon Dalung said, they do not respect rules.
For many years the national sport has failed to live up to the promise it had once shown because some have seen it as their personal cash cow.
They have so milked this cow dry that today the main actors, the footballers, continue to be short changed, merit has been sacrificed for favouritism and the country’s top prizes are only for the highest bidders, not for the best and deserving clubs.
“Nigeria football and the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) currently runs on a “pay-as-you-go” basis where the highest bidder carries the day,” lamented owner of NPFL club FC Ifeanyiubah, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, who has invested over 10 billion Naira in the sport in this country.
“I see no future for Nigeria football if we, Nigerians close our mouth and support the present administration of the NFF.”
Those who have perpetrated this monumental stealing at the NFF must be brought to book NOW if the country’s anti-graft agencies are truly alive to their task and are not to be seen as mere police for political opponents.
EFCC, ICPC and the Presidential Panel MUST remain steadfast to prosecute the thieves, fraudsters and money launderers who have held Nigeria football hostage for their personal gains and benefits.
By Samm Audu
