Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has ordered officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to clear up the cases with the ICPC, saying that he will not interfere in the ongoing corruption investigations being carried out by the commission on NFF executive members.
Dare, at a meeting with 15 executive members of NFF, admonished the NFF top notches to clean up their acts.
It had been previously reported that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) placed the Lagos and Abuja residence of Amaju Pinnick and Shehu Dikko, President and 2nd Vice President of NFF under investigation.
National Daily gathered that Rasheedat Okoduwa, an ICPC spokesperson, has said that Dikko, as well as some other NFF executives residence, are under investigation for corruption allegations.
“The executive board (of NFF) should learn to do things differently, the Minister will not interfere with EFCC or ICPC since it is important to allow these organizations follow their own due processes. We must allow them to do their work,” Dare said.
In his first meeting with the entire members of the board of the NFF, he pointed out that the perception of corruption and un-seriousness is hurting the sport.
The minister pointed out that the federation must chart a new course in conducting its affairs transparently. “The perception is that the NFF is corrupt. The perception is that of un-seriousness; this perception is hurting the sport. “We need to reset the perception, the charge of corruption and other negative things can be turned around by embracing transparency.
” NFF officials have denied being corrupt in the past with Pinnick once saying the investigation made them “feel unsafe,” the minister said.