Katsina Set to Host Hitch-free 2018 NFF Elections

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Despite threats of court injunctions from a minute section of the Nigerian football family, Katsina State Government announced yesterday its readiness to host a hitch-free 2018 Congress of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) where a new executive committee will be elected to pilot affairs for the next four years on Thurday, September 20.

Aminu Kurfi Balele, Senior Special Assistant on Sports to Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, said yesterday that everything needed to have a rancor-free elective congress have been put in place.

Balele who also doubles as Chairman of the state owned NPFL side, Katsina United FC, stressed that the state looks ahead to welcoming all the congress men and football stakeholders in the country as well as the international observers from CAF and FIFA.

“We are ready in Katsina to host the NFF elections. His Excellency, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari is happy to host this event and the people of Katsina that are passionate about football welcome all the NFF delegates, football stakeholders and the international observers to our state,” observed Balele yesterday.

Against speculations that there may be no security for the delegates at the venue of the Congress, Balele dispelled such and assured all of the topnotch security surveillance at the place.

“We want to assure everyone that adequate security has been provided for hitch-free exercise and we are very hopeful that everyone will leave Katsina with beautiful memories at the end of the day,” concludes the Katsina FC boss.

Meanwhile, incumbent Amaju Melvin Pinnick is aspiring to become the first president of the NFF to be returned for a second term in the last five decades.

The 48-year old Vice President of CAF has a tough challenger in Aminu Maigari, the man he took over the baton from in 2014.

Maigari is banking on the structure he put in place while he reined as NFF chief between 2010 and 2014 to reclaim the mandate he was forced to abdicate after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Also in the race for the coveted NFF top job is former General Secretary and later Chairman of Chairmen, Taiwo Ogunjobi.

The ex-international is considered one of the most informed technocrats in football administration in the country but lacks the war chest to prosecute grabbing the choice NFF position.

The fourth candidate in the race for the NFF presidency is a relatively unknown amateur club proprietor, Chinedu Okoye.

His Lafia, Nasarawa-based Bimo FC was on Monday kicked out of the NNL for breaches.

Another keen contest to look forward at the NFF elections is the position of Chairman of chairmen where the current Chairman, Ibrahim Gusau wants to keep his office against a formidable foe, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, the chairman of Anambra State Football Association. He is also the proprietor of NPFL clubside, FC IfeanyiUbah.