Quick previous president of the Nigeria Soccer Federation, Amaju Pinnick, and his successor, Ibrahim Gusau, have hailed the appointment of Shehu Dikko as Director-Basic of the Nationwide Sports activities Fee.
Each males shared their pleasure in separate releases after the announcement on Wednesday following a cupboard reshuffle by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who scrapped the Ministry of Sports activities Improvement and introduced again the Nationwide Sports activities Fee, geared towards the revamp of Nigerian sports activities.
“I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu immensely for this huge activity handed over to at least one man that I’m satisfied can do a great job. Dikko was very near me personally throughout our years on the NFF as a result of I noticed in him a person with profound imaginative and prescient, dynamism, capability for lots of fine and nice issues, positivity, and sincerity,” Pinnick acknowledged.
He added, “Shehu Dikko personified productiveness and creativity, and each good factor we completed in these years had his hand in it. He’s tireless and selfless and has acquired immense data and expertise within the sports activities business over the previous 30 years. I’ve little doubt that he’s the person to show round our sports activities for the higher and assure our athletes podium performances on the subsequent Olympics in Los Angeles.
“Dikko is very underrated, however I see him choosing the perfect brains within the land to work with him and set a template for the form of sports activities business that now we have at all times needed—one that may in the end profit all stakeholders and begin to contribute considerably to the nation’s gross home product.”
In the identical vein, Gusau congratulated Dikko, saying he has little doubt that his huge expertise in soccer administration as a advertising and marketing knowledgeable has ready him adequately to make successful of the large job.
He stated, “On behalf of the NFF and the complete Nigeria soccer fraternity, I warmly and heartily congratulate Mallam Shehu Dikko on this large nationwide project that has been introduced to him. I’ve little doubt that he has the data, talent, expertise, steadfastness, temperament, diligence, and intelligence to make successful of the Nationwide Sports activities Fee.
“We served collectively on the identical NFF Board for near eight years, and I can attest to his enterprise and resourcefulness. He’s a person filled with significant and optimistic concepts, and the Nigeria Soccer Federation will certainly work along with him to take our soccer to new heights of excellence.”
Alternatively, Harrison Jalla, an ex-Nigeria worldwide and chieftain of the Skilled Footballers Affiliation of Nigeria, frowned on the selection of Dikko, describing the appointment as a misfortune to Nigerian sports activities and calling on the President to rescind his resolution.
“On what foundation was Dikko appointed? Definitely not on benefit. Dikko’s monitor document as Chairman of the League Administration Firm (LMC) is within the public area for all to see. Underneath his management, the flagship of Nigerian home soccer, the Nigeria Skilled Soccer League (NPFL), died. In 2022, after 11 years as LMC chairman, Dikko was faraway from workplace, and the NPFL had been diminished to floor zero. The federal authorities needed to step in to rescue the NPFL,” he asserted.
He added, “Regardless of these efforts, the President could not reach reaching a vibrant sports activities sector as a result of his appointments within the sports activities sector up to now have been ill-advised and politically motivated. The previous Minister of Sports activities, John Enoh, was an enormous mistake, whereas the appointment of Shehu Dikko is nothing in need of a whole catastrophe.
”Mr. President, with due respect, should rethink this appointment for the next causes: There are severe and confirmed allegations of corruption, legal diversion, misappropriation, and theft hanging over Dikko. To make issues worse, he’s a convict of the Plateau State Excessive Court docket, Jos, and is evading the legislation. The return of Dikko as Chairman of the Nationwide Sports activities Fee via intense lobbying of the presidency is an try by a infamous soccer gang to seize Nigerian sports activities via the again door. This will probably be fiercely resisted by stakeholders.
”President Tinubu, being a listening chief, will quickly obtain a proper and official presentation from stakeholders outlining why this appointment is an aberration and can’t stand.
It’s now crystal clear that Nigeria’s retired sportsmen and girls haven’t any future in sports activities administration.”
