Facts Emerge How FG’s N17bn Intervention Funding Given to NFF Was Used to Settle Debts
Duro Ikhazuagbe In apparent reply to claims by the leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC) that the immediate past board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) received better funding
In a recent development, it has come to light that funds totaling N17 billion provided by the Federal Government to the sacked Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board were utilized primarily to settle outstanding debts. This revelation comes in response to the claims made by the Nigerian Sports Commission (NSC) leadership, which stated that the previous NFF board received better funding than any other preceding board.
Former NFF board member, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to ongoing investigations, clarified that the N17 billion intervention funds were not only used to settle prior liabilities but also highlighted other financial issues inherited from the previous administration.
The Gusau-led board, which received the N17 billion intervention money, inherited a 23-month backlog of Coach Jose Peseiro's $70,000 monthly wage, which alone accounted for over a million dollars. The source pointed out that the Pinnick administration claimed the funds for Peseiro's salary were bankrolled by AITEO, but in reality, the money was received as an outstanding debt by the Gusau administration.
Furthermore, the former board member revealed that the NFF board also inherited significant debts related to match allowances and bonuses owed to Super Eagles players and officials, dating back to the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers held in Russia.
The former board member emphasized the need for accountability and reforms in the administration of football in Nigeria, urging NSC Chairman Malam Shehu Dikko, who served as the second vice president under the Pinnick-led board, to be truthful about the inherited debts. He questioned Dikko's ability to exonerate himself from the responsibility of clearing these debts that were left by the board where he previously served as a vice president.
The source maintained that receiving more funding than a previous administration does not automatically indicate any wrongdoing, but rather, it is crucial to scrutinize how the funds were applied. The Gusau-led board utilized a significant portion of the N17 billion fund to clear the debts left behind by the Pinnick and Dikko-led board.
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