The crisis that has engulfed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) took another dimension over the weekend as the factional president, Chris Giwa, took the world football governing body, FIFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) over its threat to suspend Nigeria if he fails to vacate office by Monday.
Giwa’s representative said yesterday that the case has been filed at the sports Court in Switzerland to stop FIFA from interfering in Nigerian football affairs but did not give details of the suit.
One of Giwa’s aides, Ben Agary, confirmed: “Delegates on behalf of Chris Giwa has taken the matter to CAS because that is the only recognised football court, he is waiting for them to decide and call FIFA to other and stop their ban threats, he’s the rightful President of the NFF so we will wait and see, they don’t have the power to ban us over internal crisis.”
Giwa is currently insisting on heading a faction of the Nigerian football body, which has been rocked by leadership crisis for months between him and Aminu Maigari who has been in charge for years.
Maigari has also insisted that he is in charge until an election he would supervise held sometime this month, September.
Giwa’s claim to the office has been rejected by FIFA, which has threatened to suspend Nigeria if he fails to step down by Monday. [myad]
