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NFF Election: How Pinnick can justify 2nd term in office 

 

For those that were in doubt of the transformation going on in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) since Amaju Marvin Pinnick emerged its President, such distrust should have been banished following the return of the former Delta State Football Association chairman.
Pinnick surprisingly won 34 out of the 44 votes cast during the election which took place last Thursday in Katsina. With the victory, Pinnick made history as the first sitting NFF President to be voted for a second term of four years. His closest challenger, Aminu Maigari, who was a former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), had only four votes to his credit. Similarly, former NFA Secretary General, Taiwo Ogunjobi had two votes while the fourth candidate, Chinedu Okoye had no vote.  With his re-election, Pinnick will now remain in office until 2022 barring any litigation or government’s interference.
Though many will argue that the certificate scandal which trailed Maigari’s candidacy played a huge part in the outcome of the election, I however believe the massive votes cast for the NFF President was a sort of payback by the delegates who are apparently at home with the leadership of Pinnick.
Now that the election is over, Pinnick and his team must realise there are no winners and losers hence it is their responsibility to extend hand of friendship to the three other contestants; Maigari, Ogunjobi and Okoye. He must make his doors open to the trio anytime they have suggestions and advice in relation to the running of the game of football in the country.
In the same vein, Pinnick must as a matter of fact settle whatever grievances his long term rival, Ambassador Chris Giwa may have with him and his administration in order to avoid distraction. He will also need to make do with the ‘Boys Scout’ Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, who has never hidden his desire to get Pinnick out of office at the slightest opportunity. The NFF President has at least eight months to endure whatever trouble the Sports Minister may come up with. Hopefully, sports aficionados including the staff of the sports ministry will expect to see the back of Dalung come May 2019 even if President Muhammadu Buhari wins the election.
Going forward, Pinnick and his men must review their first tenure performance with a view to improving on the grey areas in the next four years.
For all he has done excellently in a few areas during his first term in office, Pinnick
And his crew must now begin look at achieving more holistically.
Already, the NFF President has assured that the football house will be self sustaining 12 months from now after claiming it now generates money to meet 70 per cent of its expenses annually. Should Pinnick walk the talk, it is expected that there will be no more football budget from the Ministry of Sports. The NFF unlike in the past will need not run cap in hand to the Presidency or Sports Minister each time it is preparing any of our national teams for major competitions or matches.
To make the NFF financially independent, Pinnick and his team will need to be better organised and make transparency and accountability their watchword.
In addition, they must make our national teams must attractive to potential sponsors through results, our brand of football and by avoiding disagreement with the players and officials over match bonus and allowances.
With a second term in office secured and our national teams getting the desired results, it will be time for Pinnick and his team to secure mega sponsorship for the NFF.
Also, our leagues especially the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) must be must become professional in the real sense of it. This could be achieved if Pinnick work assiduously with the League Management Company (LMC) under the leadership of Shehu Dikko. The welfare of players and officials must be made paramount to avoid some of the best legs in the domestic league quitting for less fancied leagues abroad. Any club that owes its players and officials salaries, bonuses and allowances must be thrown out of the team without delay.
Also, the pitches must be improved upon and our stadia should be safe for spectators to come with their families.
Additionally, our league must run concurrently with that of Europe from August to May of the following year.
The NFF must encourage private club owners to continuously sustain their clubs and state-owned must generates it finances without having to run to the governors for monthly subvention. Also, there should be no sentiment when it comes to punishment of erring clubs as is the case in the past.
All these and many more, Pinnick and his team must work on.

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