Pinnick lobbies Sports Minister for World Cup Committee slot
Immediate past President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Melvin Pinnick has been making frantic efforts to return to the Glass House by pleading with the Sports Minister John Owan Enoh to appoint him into the four-man committee that will supervise the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign of the Super Eagles.
According to www.insideglasshouse.com, Pinnick last week in Abuja had a closed-door meeting with the Minister in his bid to work his way back to the football house which he headed for eight years.
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The proposed World Cup qualification campaign committee headed by the Minister with NFF President Ibrahim Gusau and General Secretary is expected to ensure Nigeria qualify for the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Pinnick had the ambition for a third term as NFF President but his move was thwarted following the dwindling fortunes of football during his eight-year tenure
Pinnick was alleged to have imposed Ibrahim Gusau as successor in September 2022 in Benin City but the Delta state-born administrator has been plotting his way back to the Sunday Dankaro football house in Abuja.
To achieve this, Pinnick launched a massive PR campaign to show himself as a philanthropist, who supports his immediate communities, as well as a serious investor in the Nigerian economy with his gigantic agricultural scheme in Oyo State.
The meeting in Abuja between Pinnick and the Sports Minister covered a wide-range of issues concerning Nigeria Football and the FIFA Council Member has been hobnobbing to the new government in his bid to curry their favour.
The Super Eagles got off to a faltering start in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers after they drew 1-1 with both Lesotho and Zimbabwe. They are third in their qualifying group with two points.
The qualifiers will resume in June next year with the Eagles home to South Africa before playing away to Benin Republic. Rwanda lead the group with four points after two rounds of matches.