CHIMAOBI UCHENDU
Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) President Pinnick Amaju and his Board members indicted by the panel that investigated profligacy in the running of football in Nigeria have shunned the Presidential Investigation Panel for The Recovery Of Pubic Property over a case of conspiracy and alleged diversion of public funds.
Top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation were to tell the panel on Tuesday all they know about how over N15 billion was squandered by the leadership of the NFF. But they all failed to turn up hiding under alibi that they were preparing the Super Eagles for the November 17 AFCON 2019 clash with the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Victoria.
Seven officials were invited to appear before the panel on Tuesday in Abuja.
The officials were NFF vice-presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, NFF finance director Mohammed Cheku, Alizor Chuks of the marketing department, NFF executive committee member Ahmed Yusuf ‘Fresh’ as well former Executive Board members Chris Green and Sunday Dele Ajayi.
However, an eye witness saw somebody like Chris Green at the office of the panel.
It was further gathered that the panel was not notified by the officials that they will not turn up.
Earlier, it was being speculated that a letter will be sent from the NFF secretariat asking that the appointment be deferred till after the 2019 AFCON qualifier in South Africa on November 17 because all the officials were not readily available.
The Presidential intervention into brazen looting of public funds by the Amaju-led NFF is coming barely two weeks after three NFF officials were arraigned before the an FCT High Court, Abuja for alleged theft of 3.4 billion Naira meant for the development of football in Nigeria.
