The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports that it diverted $802,000 grant received from the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA).
Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, made the allegation, calling for a ‘reputable audit’ of the federation’s books.
Dalung claimed FIFA had suspended giving development grants to Nigeria over financial irregularities.
“According to the report, FIFA has withheld all development funds to Nigeria for lack of proper documentation of $802,000 out of the funds released to NFF,” Dalung told NFF’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos at the weekend.
“This is a very serious issue that must be given urgent attention to avoid another international embarrassment, more so that the present administration under the leadership of Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari has zero tolerance for any act of misappropriation, misapplication, embezzlement or fraud in any guise.”
However, the Glass House insisted its accounts have already been audited and there were no discrepancies.
It also claimed the minister submitted was misinformed about the activities of NFF’s board.
“The audited account of the Federation for the year, as audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, an internationally reputable audit firm, was presented and adopted at the General Assembly,” NFF said in a communiqué issued after its general assembly on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the NFF has approved the candidature of NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, for the CAF Executive position.
“The General Assembly passed a Vote of Confidence on the NFF Executive Committee, and also endorsed the candidature of NFF President, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick for election into the CAF Executive Committee at the CAF Congress in Addis Ababa in March 2017,” read the communiqué in part.
“Congress called on all Nigerians to give him total support as it is not an NFF venture, but a Nigerian Project.”
