Romanus Ugwu, St Petersburg
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports that the campaigns for the election into its executive committee have been a source of distraction to the Super Eagles participation at the FIFA World Cup in Russia.
The federation’s first Vice President, Barr Seyi Akinwunmi, told sports writers in St Petersburg that everything about the election must be moved from World Cup year to avoid the distraction it creates every four years.
“We are not here for NFF election and I am of the opinion that this NFF election be moved from World Cup year, because everybody mixes both, and it should not be. We are here specifically for the World Cup.
“Please, let us concentrate on giving our team the total support because they are in need of it. When we finish, we will go back home to face the election. We will not do the election in Russia.
“The election will come and go, but what we are here for is the biggest football competition in the circle of football unions. I think we should focus on it.
“We are going to have our report after the World Cup, and that will cover everything that happened here, may be that would settle everything that would be done in Nigerian football after the championship.
“People must air their views of being able to do different things in situations like this. I am sure all of us here can see things differently, that is normal human reaction. The fact that you are a board member does not make you different from other Nigerians in football.
“I may have my own views as an individual, as far as football is concerned, but at the end of the day, we are a board and we are responsible for the team. In terms of campaigning, nobody campaigned to me as a delegate. I do not know where the issue of campaigning came in,” he said.
