President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Pinnick and the 2nd Vice President/LMC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko on Tuesday tackled several issues being raised over the Nigerian Football.
They insisted that negative statements and far-fetched allegations were never in the interest of the game.
While appearing on ‘Focus Nigeria’, a talk–show on Africa Independent Television, the two NFF bigwigs tore apart talks of financial recklessness, division within the Board, late submission of memos on matches of the National Teams and the FIFA audit query.
Pinnick, who was second vice chairman, first vice chairman and chairman of the Delta State Football Association at different times, and excelled in getting the private sector to fund that State FA’s activities without resorting to government, said various distractions and negative statements and write-ups about Nigerian Football were driving away investors.
“You wake up everyday and all you see are screaming, negative headlines that are daily punching holes in the fabric of the game. Investors aim to associate with what is positive and credible, but our sports have been savaged by negativity.
“There have been various interpretations to a simple FIFA audit query, which is confidential and a matter between the FIFA –appointed auditor and NFF, but it has been blown beyond proportion and people are even saying NFF embezzled money.
“It is ridiculous because all FIFA is asking for is clarification on why we have to lump their monies with other monies, and the issue of receipting of cash transactions”, he stated.
Pinnick disclosed that the NFF actually informed the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung on request, about the audit matter, in the mode of always keeping him informed of all happenings in the NFF.
“If the NFF had anything to hide with regards to the audit query, would the Federation have informed the Minister about it?
“The two issues FIFA raised were receipting of cash transactions and the matter of dedicated account, which we always had but which had to be merged with other accounts because of the TSA (Treasury Single Account) policy.
“However, the CBN has now been able to open a domiciliary account for us within our single account and we have forwarded this to FIFA. No one should make mountain out of a molehill”, he added.
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