22nd September, 2014
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, on Monday inaugurated the newly -elected NFF Electoral and NFF Electoral Appeals Committees, with emphasis on credible, transparent and fair elections ringing through the inauguration hall.
It would be recalled that at Saturday’s Extra-Ordinary General Assembly in Warri, the Congress had, in line with a FIFA directive, elected persons into a new NFF Electoral Committee and also into a new NFF Electoral Appeals Committee, while setting the date of Tuesday, 30 September, 2014 for elections to compose a new NFF Executive Committee.
In Abuja on Monday, NFF President Aminu Maigari, who was away at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland for a meeting of his FIFA Players’Status Committee, was represented by Executive Committee member, Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande. There were also Executive Committee members Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed ‘Fresh’ and Alhaji Ahmad Muazu Kawu.
“The over –riding importance of free and fair, and very credible elections cannot be over –emphasized. The General Assembly has put this onerous responsibility on your shoulders because they believe you are persons of integrity, and the NFF also has faith in your ability to deliver,” Yahaya-Kwande stated.
Responding, both Barristers Ebomhe and Ajunwa used the opportunity to declare their readiness for a thorough job, with credible and transparent elections as the bedrock.
Ebomhe also used the opportunity to unveil a roadmap, saying that sale of forms, nomination and return of the forms would be from Monday, 22 September to Wednesday, 24 September, with screening and final list of candidates to emerge on Thursday, 25 September and protests/appeals to be heard on Friday, 26 September.
“I also want to let it be known that all those who have previously been cleared for the elections need no fresh clearance. All they need to do is indicate their willingness to be involved in the elections. However, there is opportunity now for those who were previously not involved to become involved.”
Meanwhile, President of world football –governing body, FIFA, Mr. Sepp Blatter has expressed his deepest sympathy to NFF President, Alhaji Maigari, over the death of former Super Falcons’Head Coach, Mr. Ntiero Effiom.
In a letter addressed to Alhaji Maigari, Blatter noted that late Ntiero Effiom was “an outstanding coach and will be remembered for his various accomplishments and the contributions he made to the women’s game in Nigeria.
“Allow me on behalf of FIFA and the worldwide family of football, to extend my deepest condolences to the football community of Nigeria, and most importantly to his family, friends and loved ones.
“We hope that in some way, our words of support may help bring a little bit of peace and solace in this time of sadness.”