Pinnick rules out NFF return

Former Nigeria Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick has confirmed he has no intention of returning to the leadership of the body, ending years of speculation about a potential third stint

Speaking to News Central TV in Morocco, the administrator said he is still relatively young at 55 years old and technically capable of continuing as NFF president, but he has no intention of seeking another term.

“I’m young. I’m 55. I can still be an NFF president. But do I want to be? Never,” Pinnick said.

Pinnick led the NFF from 2014 to 2022, serving two full terms, and also held positions as First Vice President of the Confederation of African Football and a member of FIFA’s Organising Committee for competitions.

Reflecting on his eight years in office, he expressed satisfaction with his tenure and emphasised the importance of moving the federation forward by addressing its shortcomings.

“I’ve done eight years and I’m okay with it. So it’s moving forward. It’s helping the federation, seeing some of their inadequacies and see how to make it adequate.”

His decision not to pursue another term comes four years after a period of legal and political controversy surrounding the federation’s electoral process, and he was subsequently succeeded by Zamfara FA chairman Ibrahim Gusau, who was elected as the 40th president of the Nigeria Football Federation at its 78th elective congress in 2022.

Before then, Pinnick had stated he was “eligible to run for a third term” under his interpretation of NFF statutes, but ultimately chose not to contest.

The move was widely seen as not aligning with the Nigerian constitution, which limits leadership tenure in national federations to two terms with former Minister of Sports Solomon Dalung repeatedly criticising the idea of indefinite terms, arguing that “limitation of tenure is already in the constitution” and that governance should reflect national law rather than international statutes alone.

Before Pinnick’s exit, the Federal Government intervened to ensure the elective congress was held in accordance with NFF statutes when the then minister Sunday Dare instructed the federation to convene elections at the expiration of the board’s term in 2022 and to amend its statutes to accommodate broader stakeholder representation.

The government also oversaw the withdrawal of court cases that had threatened to delay the electoral process, reinforcing the need for a legally compliant transition.

Culled from punch