Nigeria may yet miss out of the African Cup of Nations for the third consecutive time as crisis has hit the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The Crest gathered authoritatively that the leadership of the soccer ruling body has been running from pillar to post begging for funds to prosecute the back-to-back encounters against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Friday and Tunisia on Tuesday next week.
The leadership crisis that had rocked the Glass House in the last four years is also playing a part in this current crisis as Nigeria’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung will only deal with Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme who became the General Secretary of the NFF after the April 27 Supreme Court judgement that recognised Chris Giwa as the President of the NFF. The Sports ministry will only make funds available to the Pinnick Amaju-led body if only the money will be supervised by the ministry through Ikpeme.
Few hours to the first match in Uyo, the Federation is still scampering for funds from the sponsors for a chattered flight that would take the Super Eagles to Tunisia, the venue of the the return leg.
The federation, according to an insider in the Glass House revealed that the players may likely not receive their match allowances for the two matches if the mystery continues.
“The NFF does not have enough funds at the moment; I sympathize with them because the money they are expecting from the sponsors are not going to be enough to prosecute their plans,” our source revealed. “As I speak with you, they are still to secure the chattered flight because payment is yet to be facilitated and the boys are not going to get their match bonus immediately after the games. They are planning to convince them the money would be paid later.
“I can also confirm to you that the ministry of sports is willing to release funds but the permanent secretary will supervise over the disbursement of such money while sports minister Solomon Dalung is only ready to deal with the NFF’s Assistant Director of Technical Emmanuel Ikpeme whom he recognizes as the federation’s Secretary-General instead of Muhammed Sanusi. It is a complicated issue.”
Meanwhile, 15 players are expected to hit the Uyo camp of the team ahead of the cracker slated for Friday. Ahmed Musa, defenders Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, Leicester stars Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi will lead others to camp.
Watford striker, Isaac Success, arrived Lagos on Sunday and is expected to hit Uyo before noon Tuesday. Kenneth Omeruo, Shehu Abdullahi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Moses Simon, Henry Onyekuru, Semi Ajayi, Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Ola
