Amun Hails NFF Over Ogunjobi, Baribote Ban

A former Secretary-
General of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Fanny Amun, has commended the leadership of the NFA over the ban imposed on two Nigerian football administrators.
Taiwo Ogunjobi, a former Secretary-General of the NFA and Victor Baribote, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) Board, were banned by the association for indiscipline.
While the Chris Green investigating Committee slammed a 10-year ban on Ogunjobi, the Committee headed by Emeka Inyama which investigated Baribote, banned him for 15 years, from all football matters.
Amun told newsmen in an interview in Abuja, that the ban was in order, considering the level of offences committed by the individuals.
According to Amun, the Maigari leadership should have extended the ban to 60 years, to serve as a deterrent to others who may want to introduce indiscipline into the country’s football.
“If I was in Maigari shoes, I would have banned them for sixty years; you know what that means. It means banning them for life.
“Sometimes, it is good to take certain actions that will serve as a deterrent to others.
“Who is involved does not matter; after all, Amos Adamu, a former CAF and FIFA executive committee member, was banned by FIFA from football related activities for three years.
“So, if Adamu was banned, any other person can be banned too. There is no personal attachment to it.
“One must be able to obey the rules and regulations and must strive to be upright at all times. I don’t support Illegality at all,’’ Amun said.
He said the criticism trailing the ban was uncalled for, pointing out that the ban imposed on the football administrators appeared to have met FIFA standards.
Amun urged Nigerians to evaluate the matter which led to their ban before condemning the NFA’s action.
The NFA had said that the individuals had the right to appeal to FIFA or the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).
Meanwhile, Amun has commended Amos Adamu for serving out his three-year FIFA ban from all football related activities.
“If FIFA says the ban is ended, it is; it means he has served out the punishment which he was banned for.
“Adamu should not be killed for the ban because he is a human being and anybody can go wrong.
“If the punishment is over, then he is free,’’ he said.
Amun, however said that the NFA had the right to clear Adamu through its congress.
Adamu was banned from all football activities in 2010 by the FIFA Ethics Committee and was later fined $10,000 for asking for $800,000 as gratification.
The bribe was in return for voting on the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting rights awarded to Russia and Qatar, respectively.
The former CAF and FIFA executive member whose ban ended on Sunday, was caught on video by undercover reporters, while asking for the money.
He was subsequently not allowed to take part in the 2010 voting.