NFF president Amaju Pinnick refuses to resign blaming Goodluck for Eagles' failings

NIGERIAN Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick has refused to resign following Nigeria's elimination from the 2017 African Cup of Nations earlier this week saying he will stay on and fight for 2018 World Cup qualification.

 

On Tuesday, Nigeria was knocked out of the 2017 Nations Cup taking place in Gabon after the Super Eagles were defeated 0-1 away in Alexandria by Egypt. Angered by the elimination, football fans have been calling for Mr Pinnick's head, saying his handling of coaching appointments led to disruption within the team.

 

Mr Pinnick attributed the misfortunes of Nigerian football to former President Goodluck Jonathan, who he said prevailed on the NFF board to reverse its decision not to hire former coach Stephen Keshi for a second spell with Eagles after he failed to qualify Nigeria for 2015 Nations Cup. This is the second African Nations Cup final Nigeria is missing in succession since Mr Pinnick took over as head of the NFF.

 

In 2015, Nigeria missed out on the tournament that took place in Equatorial Guinea after being eliminated by South Africa. However, Mr Pinnick has vowed not to resign, saying he was legally elected by the Nigerian football congress, insisting that the executive committee he headed deserves commendation as the country excelled across boards at international football competitions, particularly in youth football.

 

He said he was not giving excuses but was rather more determined in righting the wrongs that happened by focusing on the Olympic football tournament in Brazil come August. While attributing the loss to Egypt to destiny, Mr Pinnick said the NFF would now concentrate on qualifying for the Fifa World Cup finals in Russia in 2018 by liaison with their agents to utilise the two available windows in June by organising friendly matches for the Eagles.

 

Mr Pinnick said: “I am not going to resign as I don’t think we have done very badly. When you are in a battle field you don’t retreat as whoever comes in will have to begin from where you started and he might run into the same pit.

 

"I was elected by the Nigerian football congress and have a mandate for four years. Our template is there to take football forward 100%."

 

He added that an expansive consultative forum will also meet sports minister Solomon Dalung to determine the future of interim coach, Samson Siasia, who handled the team in the two games against Egypt. At the meeting, it will decided whether to keep Siasia or to hire a foreign coach on a long term-term basis.