Members of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as well as Candidates, are expected to troop in en-masse to Kastina on Wednesday, ahead of the NFF election billed to hold on Thursday.
Incumbent President Amaju Pinnick is seeking for second term in office, while other contestants for the most coveted sit in the nations football federation include former federation’s boss Aminu Magari, former Secretary-General Taiwo Ogunjobi and club proprietor Chinedu Okoye.
A source according to The Guardian, disclosed that clerical staffs and some senior official of the federation have relocated to Kastina to set the stage for the arrival of the congress member and candidates. The source further disclosed that senior NFF officials and contenders are expected to arrive the state today, as a meeting between the electoral committee and the contenders will hold this evening.
“The FIFA and CAF officials billed to monitor the elections were expected in Nigeria last night and this morning. The electoral committee headed by Mohammed Katu were also expected to arrive in Katsina yesterday,” the source, who pleaded anonymity, said.
FIFA and CAF have also sent their representative with the World Apex football body sending Luca Piazza and Solomon Mudege, while the African football body sending Sita Sangare as observes for the election. Reports have it that FIFA boss Gianni Infantino could grace the event.
Aside the Presidential position, there are 10 position for grabs in the elections, with Vice-President and Chairman Committee of state chairmen dominating the list.
Meanwhile, Minister of Sports, Bar Solomon Dalung insists that the Kastina election will not hold. He stated that the current NFF board lacks the right to conduct elections since ‘the Supreme court’ ruled that they were not elected in the first place to run Nigeria football.
Dalung who is backing Chris Giwa argued that Nigeria is not affiliate of FIFA and did not sign any agreement with the World football governing body. He however, concluded that FIFA was overstepping its bound with the threat of banning the country from international football, saying that the Kastina election will be declared null and void.