Kojo Williams Explains How The Sports Minister Could Have Saved Nigeria From FIFA Ban

Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) yesterday banned Nigeria from participating in any FIFA sanctioned event, National team or club side due to government interference in the sport.

Former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF Kojo Williams has revealed that the recent ban was expected. Kojo was talking to reporters from Vanguard and talked of his disapointment with the new Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo and his ministry for not handling the sack of NFF chairman and his board.

Kojo said: “I am disappointed that the Minister of Sports was not properly advised. FIFA has got structures and you cannot tamper with its structures and go free.”
He said that Minister Danagogo should have waited till August and then allow Maigari to be gone, He said: “If they wanted to sack the Maigari board, they should have waited for the August election. That is when they should have executed all their plans.

They are in a hurry. I don’t really know what they want. If they claim Maigari spent money, they should have asked him to explain how he spent the money. It is a shame,”

“I am shocked that we can still find ourselves in this kind of situation given our level of exposure. Some of us saw it coming. It is unfortunate” he said.

This is not the first time FIFA has banned Nigeria, Nigeria was banned in 1996 when then Military President Abacha interfered in the running of football in the country.