Malicious People Against NFF – Ogba

Despite the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which declared Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, as an illegal body, President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, Solomon Ogba, says he still recognises the football body as being authentic.

The Delta State-born sports administrator disclosed this to journalists in Abuja, while analysing the administration of Olympics sports, which he said should be run under various federations. He said that it is malicious and selfish on the part of some stakeholders to cause crisis because of the change of name from NFA to NFF.

“You don’t expect me to refer the football body in Nigeria to NFA, which in those days was called No Future Ambition. I think it is time people should not be malicious and selfish as they pursue their ambition of administering sports in Nigeria.” Ogba said.

He said that International Olympic Commission, IOC, made it a law that every sporting event at the Olympic Games like Basketball, Hockey, Football, Volleyball and the rest of them must be run under a federation. So, football as an Olympic sport, unfortunately this development is causing a lot of ripples in Nigeria with the court declaring the action as illegal.

“Every knowledgeable person in sports ought to know that football as Olympic sport is supposed to be run under a federation in line with the globally acceptable standard. I think Nigeria should be an exception. It should not have caused any problem in Nigeria,” Ogba said.

The NFF has already filled an appeal to stay off execution of the court ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

—Francis Achi/Abuja