NFF Election Review: Drama, vote-buying allegations as Gusau emerges NFF president

Ibrahim Gusau, on Friday, emerged because the thirty fifth President of the Nigeria Soccer Federation, following the election held on Friday in Benin Metropolis, the Edo State capital.

Gusau was elected as the brand new president of the NFF on the physique’s 78th Elective Congress held on the Edo Heritage Lodge, changing long-term incumbent Amaju Pinnick.

On the finish of the primary session of voting, Gusau had 21 votes, which was sufficient to defeat the outgoing NFF VP Seyi Akinwunmi, who got here in second with 12 votes. The second runner-up Shehu Dikko, the opposite outgoing NFF VP, garnered six votes, whereas Abba Yola and Idah Peterside each had one vote every.

When it was apparent {that a} clear winner didn’t emerge on account of FIFA rule, which states that the winner should rating as much as 51% of the full votes solid, a re-run was wanted for a winner to emerge.

Delegates on the venue have been surprised when outgoing vice presidents Akinwunmi and Dikko stepped down from the re-run race, however former Nigeria, Enyimba and Moroka Swallows keeper Peterside opted to contest the second section of the ballot.

Peterside, who received one vote within the first spherical, nonetheless ended up with a solitary vote, whereas Gusau polled 39 votes to emerge victorious.

There was a complete of 41 votes after the re-run, with 40 legitimate votes and one vote registered as invalid.

In the meantime, Peterside alleged that some aspirants stormed the venue of the ballot with luggage of {dollars} to purchase votes.

Peterside acknowledged, “We didn’t sleep until 3am (Friday morning) as a result of we have been attempting to persuade folks. Some instructed us they have been provided $15,000; $10,000. What acquire do I’ve to lie about this?

“A younger man instructed me that he had $5,000 shared into six locations to supply zones who would vote.”

Peterside labelled the election venue a “crime scene”, and known as on the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee to intervene.

“The EFCC ought to come right here (Benin Metropolis) and search rooms of this lodge. It is a crime scene. I’ve integrity to spend and love for the sport. Hoodlums will proceed to run our soccer. How can it enhance?

“I’ll make noise to the roof; how can we maintain folks liable for all these points?”

The 58-year-old Gusau, a civil servant with the Zamfara Ministry of Finance, now takes cost of an organisation that has confronted plenty of criticism just lately because of the poor home league, monetary issues and corruption accusations. Enyimba Chairman, Chief Felix Anyansi emerged because the NFF 1st Vice President, changing Seyi Akinwunmi with 23 votes, beating Senator Obinna Ogba (eight votes).

Gusau, the present Zamfara FA chairman, was an govt member of the NFF board below former president Pinnick, who loved the backing of FIFA amid corruption allegations that he denied previous to changing into the primary particular person to win a second consecutive time period as NFF boss.

Pinnick has stated he’ll now shift his focus to his roles on the Confederation to African soccer and international physique FIFA.

A member of the omnipotent FIFA Council, Pinnick’s try at a 3rd time period in workplace was rejected by a assist base led by Gusau, prompting the 51-year-old to drop the concept of staying in energy past 2022.

Earlier, the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, recommended the outgoing NFF president Pinnick for adequately representing Nigeria in FIFA.

Shaibu stated Pinnick represented the nation properly in FIFA and thus it is not going to be misplaced to say he was the face of Nigeria in FIFA.