- NFF Executive Committee affirm Heartland’s progression to Aiteo Cup semi-final
- Commend Falconets for wonderful performance in Costa Rica
Following the drama that engulfed Nigerian Football over the refusal of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to hold the Annual General Assembly with an alleged sinister motive by the helmsman of Glass House to ensure elective congress does not hold to elongate his tenure until 2023, the NFF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick has stated he is not seeking reelection.
Pinnick said this on Thursday, August 18, 2022, at the meeting of the NFF Executive Committee in Best Western Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, to allay tensions that may have erupted from an alleged move to elongate his tenure beyond the stipulated time.
According to the NFF President whose declaration attracted huge applause from the board members present amid commendations for the success he has achieved so far in Nigerian football, Pinnick assured of his continuous support in developing Nigeria football including assisting his successor to succeed in office.
The Delta-born member International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) council member had in April revealed would not be seeking a return following family pressure, so his declaration on Thursday was to reaffirm his earlier position as regards the NFF Presidency.
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A statement by the NFF read in part: “After his solemn declaration that he would not be contesting to retain his seat as President at the next NFF Elective General Assembly, the Board greatly commended the President for his huge sacrifices for Nigeria Football in the past eight years, and wished him success and progress in his future endeavours and pursuits.
The President stated that he would be ready at all times to offer his support, encouragement and wealth of experience to the incoming President and the Board.”
In another vein, following the resolution reached by the NFF and owners of clubs over the men’s Aiteo Cup competition where the quarter-final was slated for a replay among clubs, including doling out compensations of varying amounts from the aforementioned stage to the finals. NFF Executive Committee ratified the decision while affirming Heartland’s progression to the semi-finals.
Recall that Heartland of Owerri wrote a protest letter recently to the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, to complain of the ploy to unfairly constrain the club to replay the quarter-final match they have duly won against Katsina United at Ilorin.
“However, Heartland FC, who defeated Katsina FC in their quarter-final game in Ilorin, are already through to the semi-finals. It was agreed that the competition (men’s version) restarts after the NFF Annual General Assembly on Thursday, 18th August 2022, with the key objective of providing considerable mileage for sponsors, AITEO,” the NFF Executive Committee’s statement ratifying the Heartland’s semi-final qualification.
Consequently, the Executive Committee praised the U20 Women National Team, Falconets for its excellent performance at the ongoing FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, at which the team won all three matches of the group phase and qualified for the quarter-finals as group leader.
It noted that the achievement, as well as the triumphs of the U20 and U17 Boys in regional tournaments in Niger Republic and Ghana, and the qualification of the U17 Girls for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup India 2022, is a marker of the dedication, vision and investment of the present NFF administration in youth development.
