Nigeria: NFF Crisis Delays Contigent to Germany

Daily Independent (Lagos)

Tony Ezimakor

28 June 2011

Abuja — The Nigeria Football Federal is now in a big dilemma even as it tries to play the ostrich over the crisis rocking Nigeria football.

The embattled administration of Aminu Maigari we learnt, is yet to secure note verbal from the Foreign Affairs ministry to enable it process visas for the contingent scheduled to travel to Germany for the FIFA Women world cup

The federation had claimed recently in an affidavit that it is a private organization , a claim we gathered has placed it a dilemma over how to approach the foreign affairs ministry. As a result it could not access the all important document which federal government issues as a guarantee for its agencies and departments to facilitate the procurement of visas from foreign missions

It was discovered Tuesday that all those who were listed for the trip to germany were yet to approach the German embassy for visas, a situation a source blamed on the failure of the NFF to get note verbal. Our investigation revealed that the difficulty may not be unconnected with ongoing crises

A source at the NFF disclosed that aside the team and officials which were issued with the document earlier all others that were listed to attend the tournament are still in the country.

As we speak it is not certain that we will go because the ministry which before now used to issue us the note verbal is not forthcoming with the request. The NFF is yet to even take the list of contingent to the embassy for their travelling visas”

“I want to believe that this ugly development may be due to the ongoing crises in NFF and those people who call themselves the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and the self damaging affidavit which our people here went to swear at a high court, certainly this is not a good sign”.

The source hinted that even NFF president Aminu Maigari travelled out last Friday because he still had valid visas on his passport.

AllAfrica – All the Time