International football body, FIFA, has asked to be updated by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) with the authentic list and photo evidence of the elective congress for the NFF election billed for August 26, THISDAY exclusively learnt last night.

It was further learnt that the process is designed as a check against manipulation and to ensure that impostors are not accredited while genuine stakeholders are sidelined from expressing their voting rights.

The NFF election has been generating intense heat ahead of the congress apparently as a result of the factionalisation of the football family, a consequence of the crisis that began early last month leading to the impeachment of Aminu Maigari as the NFF president.

Last week, more than 50 per cent of the State FA Chairmen that met in Abuja unanimously resolved that Maigari be reinstated as the NFF President until August 26, when a new board will be installed after the election.

A parallel congress had earlier on July 5 sacked the NFF board and the entire management and in their place, it endorsed the imposition of an ad-hoc administrator charged with the management of the ‘Glass House’ affairs until August 26.

The parallel congress followed an order of interim injunction granted by a Jos High Court of competent jurisdiction which on July 2 declared the NFF board as illegal.

THISDAY checks revealed that FIFA, which on July 9 suspended Nigeria and only lifted the suspension on July 18, after the revocation of the court order, followed by the return to status quo at NFF, is worried by the twist and turn of events in the Nigerian federation.
To prevent impostors from exerting influence in the congress, FIFA has asked the NFF secretariat to submit the names of the delegates, plus proof of their identities, to ensure that they are genuine stakeholders.

The new 13- man NFF executive committee will be constituted for a new term of four years after the votes of the 44 delegates from the six geo-political zones are tallied.

In same vein, FIFA has also notified the NFF Secretary General, Musa Amadu, of its plan to send its assessor to monitor the congress and has asked to be regularly updated on unfolding developments.

Meanwhile, the deadline for submission of forms by those interested in the NFF elections has been characterised by drama.
The General Manager of League Management Company (LMC), Shehu Dikko, was literally marched out of the NFF office yesterday as officials pointedly refused to sell registration form to him.

It was Dikko who graciously hosted the congress at his house after state security operatives disrupted the state FA chairmen meeting originally billed for Serob Hotel in Abuja.

Many other aspirants were unlucky as they could not obtain the forms as the officials responsible for selling the forms did not report to work.

Former Chairman of Kano Pillars, Abba Yola, former Vice-president of NFF, Amanze Uchegbulam, and a former board member, Obinna Ogba, were among those in this category.

A member of the splinter Nigeria Football Association (NFA) group, Japhet Tenebe, almost exchanged blows with a NFF official due to the non-availability of forms, forcing him to issue a veiled threat that his group would print their own forms and conduct a parallel election.

Lagos FA Chairman, Seyi Akinwunmi, former chairman of Lagos State Sports Writers Association (SWAN), Frank Ilaboya, former NFF Secretary General, Taiwo Ogunjobi and Chairman of Giwa FC, Chris Giwa were however able to beat the submission deadline.

Five members of the current NFF Board- Dr Shehu Adamu, Deji Tinubu, Emeka Inyama, Ahmed Yusuf Fresh and Felix Anyasi-Agwu also submitted their forms. But the acting NFF President, Mike Umeh, could not obtain a form for the post of president.