THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday deliberated on the plight of the national female football team, the Super Falcons, who are protesting the non-payment of their allowances.
Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, presented the matter before the Council, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Responding to State House correspondents’ inquiry on the matter, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the matter was being looked into.
He added: “The Minister of Youth and Sports raised the issue today at the Council and it is being looked into.
“Over time, it has become tradition to reward victorious athletes of sports persons but I think this is caused by the biting economic situation.
“The Minister of Youths and Sports is handling the matter. It was reported under other matters today at the Council.”
The Super Falcons, who won the 10th edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations concluded at the weekend in Cameroon, had threatened to take their protest to the Presidential Villa if the Sports Ministry and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) continued to withhold their match bonuses and allowances.
Meanwhile, as the Super Falcons continue their sit-in protest in Abuja, one of the players has alleged that the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Mohammed Sanusi used “strong words” on them.
“Contrary to what was said in that statement, Mr Sanusi used some strong words during our meeting,” the BBC, on Tuesday, had quoted a player as saying.
Dr Sanusi had gone to Agura Hotel, Abuja on Tuesday to talk to the Super Falcons who won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the eighth time on Saturday, but who have refused to leave the hotel until they are paid their entitlements by the NFF.
The BBC report was not explicit on the “strong words” the unnamed player said the NFF secretary-general allegedly used.
But while speaking to Tribunesport on Wednesday, Dr Sanusi denied the allegation, saying there was nothing like that.
“There was nothing like that, I had a very robust interaction with the players and they were all happy. Whoever says I used strong words among the players is telling lies,” Dr Sanusi told Tribunesport by phone.
In another development, Super Falcons player, Francisca Ordega has denied saying she regretted playing for the Nigerian senior team.
According to reports she’d said, “If I had not played for Nigeria at full international level, trust me I would have played somewhere else.”
But speaking on a Channels Television programme on Wednesday, she denied the reports, saying Nigeria made her what she is today.
and there is no way she would consider dumping her fatherland for any place in the world.
She said having enjoyed when things were better, there was no way she would turn her back on the country now.
