The leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), led by Amaju Pinnick, has denied any wrongdoing as the EFCC commenced corruption investigation against him and other executive committee members as published by the Special Adviser, Media to the Sports Minister, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, on July 6, 2018.
Other members are Mallam Shehu Dikko, Barrister Seyi Akimwunmi, Ahmed Fresh and Mohammed Sanusi.
The leadership denied all the allegations contained in the petition authored by Mr. James Peters, a football coach, which the NFF have tagged baseless and imputations of wrong doing.
The chairman, Media Committee of the NFF, Honourable Suleiman Yahaya Kwande, said in a signed press statement on Tuesday and made available to Tribunesport via whatsApp that, it is on record that the NFF under the leadership of Amaju Pinnick “has been the most successful in Nigeria to date in terms accountability and probity.”
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He added that till date, the leadership of the NFF has not been invited by any anti-corruption or indeed, any agency of government to explain the allegations contained in the said petition or even called upon to give an account of its stewardship.
“The NFF wishes to assure the public that, if eventually it is called upon, the leadership would cooperate fully with any agency concerned and give a robust explanation of its financial activities, as the NFF under Amaju Pinnick has entrenched transparency and international best practices as its mantra and has therefore not contravene Laws of the land.”
Kwande, noted that, the Financial Derivatives Ltd (FDC) which was wrongly labeled by James Peters, who does not have any financial or business management training, as the conduit which the NFF embezzles money, is one of the major and most credible financial services companies in Nigeria with records of high reputations and integrity.
In addition, the statement said that FDC was not appointed as NFF Financial Advisers by Amaju Pinnick as alleged by the Petitioner but by the NFF Congress, the supreme legislative body of the NFF, pursuant to the provisions of the NFF Statutes, at its 70th Annual General Meeting held in Lagos on November 23rd, 2014.