Nigeria Content Online

Reports suggesting that Minister of Sports, Ibrahim Bio, has
disqualified ex-international Segun Odegbami from contesting election into the
board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have been described as untrue.

Olukayode Thomas, Media Consultant to the minister, said such
reports were fabricated by individuals seeking to put the minister and Odegbami
on a collision path. “There is no iota of truth in the story, the minister did
not issue such directive,” he said.

“It is the imagination of some people who want to cause
confusion or disrupt the election. Odegbami, and other member of the Task Force
who have signified their intention to contest in the coming election, are
Nigerians who have every right to contest any position in the country, and Bio
will not deny them of their rights to contest elections into the board of NFF
or any elective position they want to contest for in future.”

Thomas went on to explain that the minister is interested in having
credible, transparent, free and fair elections that will produce a board that
every Nigerian will be proud of.

“Bio is not backing any candidate, and he has vowed not to back any, but
like most Nigerians, he wants on the new NFF board eminent Nigerians who will
run football like business, so that the sport will be less dependent on
government for funding in the nearest future,” he said. “Bio strongly believes
that football can fund itself once we have a credible board.”

The NFF elections have been slated for August with several candidates
already in the race to direct the affairs of Nigerian football for the next
four years.