Christopher Giwa has been elected the new president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), following a tumultuous voting last night at the Chida International Hotel, Abuja.
Giwa got 27 of the 29 votes to defeat the immediate past NFF first vice president, Chief Mike Umeh, who got just two votes.
Ebonyi State FA chairman, Obinna Ogba, was elected unopposed with 28 votes, while Effiong Johnson retained his position as chairman of FA chairmen in the executive committee of the NFF, with 28 votes.
In other positions, one of the arrow-heads of the anti-Maigari group, Shehu Adamu, lost his re-election bid in his North-west zone, with Suleiman Mu’azu and Sharif Inuwa emerging. In the zone, Sani Muhammed Fema from Yobe and the chairman of the Gombe State Sports Commission, Farouk Yarma, were elected, respectively, to represent the zone on the board. Enyimba FC chairman, Felix Anyansi Agwu, retained his seat as the chairman of the South-east.
In the South-west zone, Deji Tinubu retained his seat. He was joined by Otunba Sunday as the zonal representative.
Kogi State FA chairman, Yahaya Adama, claimed the slot of North-central zone on the executive committee of the federation. He scored 26 votes to defeat Ahmed Yusuf Fresh, who got only three votes for the position. Felix Obuah was also elected a member of the new executive committee of the federation.
While announcing the results, the chairman of the electoral committee, Amoni Biambo, said all the delegates “voted of their will, without any undue pressure from anybody or quarter, saying all the process leading to the election meets the status of the NFF, as well as international standards.
Speaking after the election, the new president, Christopher Giwa, said that the election which produced the new executive members will mark the beginning of a new era and put an end to the recurrence crisis in Nigerian football.
“Our first assignment is to see how we can put the house together. We are just privileged; not that we are better than others. I see this as a call from God and, by the grace of God, Nigerians will be happy with us and we will not disappoint them,” he said.
Meanwhile, the elective congress was not without hitches, as some state FA chairmen loyal to Aminu Maigari opted out of the congress, following the arrest of the former president of the NFF and two other persons – NFF General Secretary Musa Amadu and former Chairman of the Technical Committee Christopher Green – by the operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS).
Addressing the congress before the election, sports minister and chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr Tammy Danagogo, said he had met with the groups led by Aminu Maigari and Mike Umeh on Sunday in the presence of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim and resolved that a non-elective congress takes place in Abuja to empower the electoral committee and give opportunity to other persons who were being disenfranchised.
According to Danagogo, Maigari, whose tenure expired on Monday, also agreed not to contest the election. While charging the congress to ensure that they put to an end to the lingering crisis, he assured all that he is ready to work with whoever emerges the new NFF president. He insisted that he has no candidate for the election but regretted the attitude of individuals who hold the nation’s football to ransom for selfish interests.
Be prepared!!! @folabright Source
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