In a swift response to the suspension of the NFF President and entire Executive board by the Minister of Sports and Chairman National Sports Commission, Dr. Tamuno Danagogo yesterday 3rd July, world football governing body, FIFA through the office of the Secretary General has notified the Head of the Nigeria Football Federation of the implication and eventual consequences of the suspension.

In an official letter signed by FIFA’s Secretary General Jérôme Valcke to the NFF President, Mr Aminu Maigari and CAF via e-mail, FIFA described as ‘undue interference’ the Federal High Court injunction and subsequent suspension of the leadership of the NFF while it also counselled an immediate reversal.

The Letter reads:

We have learnt from various sources, and notably Nigeria newspapers, that different actions were taken with regard to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) which are very worrisome.

We understand that the NFF has been served with court processes and that consequently an order restraining the President of the NFF, his Executive Committee members and the NFF Congress from running the affairs of Nigerian Football has been granted by a high Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

We also take note of your detention carried out by representattives of the Department of State Security Service and that the latter is looking for other members of the NFF. We notice as well that the Minister of Sport has appointed an assistant director to take charge of the NFF. Finally, it is alleged that the members of the NFF have been convened to attend an Extraordinary Congress on 5 July 2014 in Abuja.

In this regard, we would like to remind you that all FIFA member associations have to manage their affairs independently and without influence of any third parties as clearly stipulated in articles 13, par 1 and 17, par. 1 of the FIFA Statutes. Therefore, the above mentioned actions are preventing the NFF from managing its affairs independently and are considered by FIFA as undue inteference in the NFF affairs.

We inform you as well that FIFA will not recognize any person or organ not elected in compliance with the NFF Statutes ( article 17, par 2 and 3 of the FIFA Statutes) and therefore we will not consider the appointment made by the Minister of Sports. Additionally, we will not recognize any decision taken by the above mentioned Extraordinary Congress which will be considered null and void. An elective Congress has been duly convened by the NFF for 26 August 2014 and the only decisions and persons elected then will be considered legitimate.

Under these circumstances, we recommend you relay this position to the relevant authorities and brief them about the potential adverse consequences on Nigerian football. Moreover we ask that you respectfully inform the relevant authorities that if the aforementioned NFF officials are not fully reinstated by Tuesday 8 July 2014, we will have no choice but to refer the case to the appropriate FIFA organs for sanctions, including the suspension of the NFF.

We would like to underline the dire effects a suspension could have on Nigerian football. It would for instance mean that no team from Nigeria of any sort (including clubs) could have any international sporting contact (art. 14 par. 3 of the FIFA Statutes). But it would also mean that neither the NFF nor any of its members or officials could benefit from any development programme, course or training from FIFA or CAF any longer.

We thank you in advance to keep us informed of any progress.