NFF Election: Northern FA Chairmen fail to endorse Pinnick

Advocates pushing for the return of Amaju Pinnick as President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will have to work harder to actualise their bid.

Developments within the football family reveals that the second term bid of the Delta State administrator is not going down well with a section of the electorate. Those with voting rights are the FA chairmen of the 36 states and the FCT along with secretaries.

This is as a result of a recent meeting attended by state football chairmen from the north in Kano, who refused to adopt Pinnick as the sole candidate for the September 30 NFF election billed for Katsina this year.

The meeting coincided with the CAF Champions League return leg between Plateau United and Etoile Du Sahel of Tunisia at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano last month.

SportingLife.ng learnt that the chairmen insisted on a level playing field.

“So what you have been hearing that Pinnick has the backing of the north is not true, going by what happened in Kano. The chairmen were adamant.

They insisted that adopting Pinnick would mean that they had closed the door on others wishing to contest for the seat,” our source said.

There are claims that Pinnick lacks the goodwill to continue in office.

The NFF Chairman has not declared his intention to contest.

“Let all those that are interested go to the polls, including Pinnick, to test their popularity. We can’t be arm-twisted into doing what we don’t what to do,” said the source.

According to sources, Pinnick’s re-election is being championed by a member of the NFF board who hails from the north. The board member held a similar meeting in Abuja, that also flopped.

The NFF under Pinnick has witnessed some remarkable progress, including securing lucrative deals for the national teams.

It is on record that no NFF President has served a second term.

In his first interview on a satelite TV station just after he assumed office in September 2014, Pinnick promised to serve for just one term.