NFF Crisis: Players’ Union Begins Strike

The problem in Nigeria football took a dramatic turn yesterday when Nigeria players and top club managers said they are boycotting the league to show their solidarity with Aminu Maigari-led faction of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The League Management Company (LMC) announced that the league has been postponed till further notice after the country’s referees said they will no longer handle matches of the NFF until the crisis rocking Nigerian football is resolved.

The country’s players’ union, APFON, has also directed their members to stay away from league matches till further notice.

“The Players Union, after a thorough evaluation of the current situation in Nigeria football as a result of the kangaroo and purported election into the executive committee of the NFF held on 26 August, that brought Chris Giwa as NFF president, the players’ union hereby directs all Nigeria footballers in the various leagues to boycott all league matches with immediate effect to protest the illegality of the purported elections,” read a statement signed by the union’s president Dahiru Sadi.

However, Chris Giwa, who claims to have been elected new NFF president on Tuesday, said matches scheduled for this weekend will go ahead.

“It has come to our notice that the League Management Company has been issuing notices to clubs in the Premier League that matches are being suspended from this weekend,” said Giwa.