Fifa happy with Nigeria

The world soccer governing body, Fifa on Thursday expressed happiness with the peaceful resolution of the crisis that has rocked Nigerian football in the past months.

A Nigerian delegation was led by the nation's supervising sports minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi to hold talks with top officials of the world football governing body including its president, Sepp Blatter, in Zurich, Switzerland.

Fifa president, Blatter, said during the meeting: “Nigeria is a very important country to us. In fact, one of the most important countries, so what happens in Nigerian football has great significance for us in Fifa.”

Blatter also extolled Abdullahi for his role in resolving the impasse between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Dr Sam Sam Jaja as well as Barrister Ray Nnaji, who instituted court cases against the federation.

The Fifa boss described the sports minister as "a young man with great wisdom."

"We have had this issue on our desk for a long time. Therefore, I cannot thank you enough, Honourable Minister for resolving this problem. Football cannot grow in an atmosphere of instability. We are happy that this is resolved and now we can focus on the business of football development in Nigeria," Blatter said.

However, when informed that the Nigerian government gives the nation's football federation an annual subvention of $20 million, Blatter was stunned and harped on accountability and transparency.

"You guys (NFF) are lucky. We are only not happy when we have reasons to believe that government wants to take control of the NFF that has been duly elected or sacks a federation with fiat," Blatter remarked.

"And even we in FIFA are reviewing our statutes as part of our reform process so as to allow for greater accountability and transparency."

Abdullahi briefed the Fifa team in Zurich about plans to work towards the speedy passage of the NFF Bill at the National House of Assembly in Nigeria.

It would be recalled that on Tuesday, the Nigerian sports minister and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim played roles in ending the disagreement between the NFF and Jaja and Nnaji on one hand.

Jaja and Nnaji have agreed to stop their legal battles against the NFF.

However, Nanf president, Harrison Jalla rubbished the peaceful resolution on Wednesday.

Jalla said there is still a court case with suit number FHC/L/CS/49/12 filed at the Federal High Court of Lagos to compel the sports minister and Attorney General of the Federation to give effect to the NFA Act 2004 since the NFF has been declared illegal in a court ruling on January 20.

Nanf, one of the two footballers unions in Nigeria, is not foreclosing enforcing the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja of January 20 that declared the NFF and Nigeria Premier League (NPL) illegal.

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