FIFA has "ordered the removal" of newly elected Nigeria Football Federation President Chris Giwa, according to Aderonke Ogunleye of the PREMIUM TIMES. In a letter dated Friday and addressed to NFF General Secretary Musa Amadu, FIFA gave Giwa until midnight on Monday to "vacate the office." FIFA said that "from the report it received," the election that produced Giwa was "not acceptable." The body also "warned it will sanction Nigeria" if he "does not step down" (PREMIUM TIMES, 8/29). The BBC's Oluwashina Okeleji reported the disputes within the NFF have "already led" to a FIFA intervention, int'l suspension and the "enforced return -- twice -- of outgoing NFF president Aminu Maigari." Another ban "could affect Nigeria's 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo and South Africa early next month."
Football journalists in the country have "called on Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene" (BBC, 8/30). The AFP reported Giwa has "dismissed the threat of
sanctions" from FIFA. Giwa: "We have seen the letter from FIFA and digested the full content of it. Nothing has changed as far as we're concerned. We will present our
position to FIFA... and they will be convinced beyond any reasonable
doubt" (AFP, 9/1).
