In spite of insinuations making the rounds that the Nigerian football fraternity has backed the president of the Madagascan FA, Ahmad Ahmad to beat incumbent Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, Issa Hayatou, in the forthcoming CAF elections, the Minister of Youth & Sport Development Solomon Dalung has insisted that any position taken by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) resident, Amaju Pinnick, remained his and not that of the nation or its football family.
According to a statement from the office of the minister and signed by his director of press, Tolu Makinde, for the avoidance of doubt, views purportedly expressed by the President of NFF as to who to support or not are “his personal opinion and do not represent the position of the government and people of Nigeria.”
“All those aspiring to the various offices of CAF are doing so as individuals and advised not to use their positions or name of Nigeria to unduly promote their political ambitions at the expense of national interest,” Dalung warned in the statement.
Nigeria will support what is good for football, in line with laid-down rules and regulations, as well as time-tested conventions.
The Minister appealed to all aspirants to go about seeking support of other compatriots without malice, rancour or acrimony. Also, he counselled that, while doing that, they must ensure that they take into consideration the larger interest of the region.