Fifa has warned that the sacked Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board should be reinstated, or it says it will impose sanctions on the country.
The executive board of the Nigeria Football Federation was fired by a Federal High Court ruling in Jos on Friday following the nullification of the election of Amaju Pinnick.
The court ordered challenger Chris Giwa to take over the leadership of the NFF with immediate effect and ordered the sports minister, Solomon Dalung to recognise his election victory at the August 26, 2014 polls.
Fifa, however, has criticised the move, claiming it goes against the organisation’s principle of country’s football associations being independent bodies and expressing concern over the outside interference.
“We would like to remind you that according to articles 13 and 17 of the Fifa statutes, all members associations have to manage their affairs independently and with no influence from third parties,” Fifa wrote in a letter mailed to the NFF and signed by acting secretary general Markus Kattner.
“In addition and according to article 68 of the Fifa Statutes, recourse to ordinary courts of law is prohibited unless specifically provided for in the Fifa regulations.
“Furthermore, it is the duty of each member association to ensure that these provisions are implemented by its members and possibly take sanctions against those which fail to respect these obligations.
“In view of the above, the decision of the Federal High Court in Jos, if implemented, would likely be considered as interference in the internal affairs of the NFF and the case would be brought to the highest authorities of FIFA for consideration of sanctions, including the suspension of the NFF,” it concluded.
