“Nobody Collected the $1.2M”: Former NFF VP Clarifies Issues Surrounding Kebbi Stadium, Video
- A former 2nd Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation has provided clarity on issues surrounding the $1.2m FIFA-funded stadium in Kebbi
- There have been online accusations of NFF misusing football development funds from the world football governing body
- The FIFA member explained in detail how the project followed due process according to Nigerian laws in 2016
The former 2nd Vice President of the NFF, Mallam Shehu Dikko, has dismissed claims that the previous leadership received direct funding from FIFA to execute the Goal Project in Kebbi State.
Dikko clarified that his statement was not intended to defend the NFF but to dispel the misinformation spreading rapidly across social media.
Source: Getty Images
He further explained that many individuals are unaware of the processes and procedures FIFA follows in executing projects of such nature. He said:
"That is where people are getting it wrong; no one collected the money. I am not here to defend the NFF, they can defend themselves but I am the leader of sports in Nigeria because what is happening with NFF is happening to the entire sports.
"We need to put the right situation in front of people so that they can understand how these things work.
"My position as the chairman of the NSC is to defend the system and make sure the right things are done and also put in place."
Nobody collected $1.2m in NFF - Dikko
Shehu Dikko has insisted that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) did not receive the $1.2 million from FIFA for the execution of the Goal Project in Birnin Kebbi.
In a viral post on X, the former chairman of the League Management Company, which oversaw the now-defunct Nigeria Professional Football League, explained that the first FIFA Goal Project was carried out in 2004 under his supervision.
Dikko further stated that FIFA appointed the contractor through a successful bidding process and made direct payments, with the condition that the project be completed within a stipulated timeframe. He said:
Source: Twitter
"Secondly, I can tell you that I was the first person to deliver the FIFA Goal Project in Nigeria around 2004 and I understand how these things work. Presently, I am a member of FIFA stakeholders committee (one of the most powerful committees in FIFA) and know how FIFA works. So nobody collected the money because FIFA manages their project directly.
"The job of the NFF in this kind of situation is to provide the land and say this is what we want. At the end of the day, it is FIFA that will appoint their consultant, go through the process, appoint their contractor and pay (the contractor) directly to deliver their agreement within the specifications."
Challenges faced during the Kebbi project
Shehu Dikko explained that the procurement process for the construction of the Kebbi Goal-Project began in 2016.
The Kaduna-born football administrator said the project was delayed due to land disputes and other unseen circumstances before a contract signing was done in 2020. He said:
"For the Kebbi project, for example, it is not $1.2m of today that we are talking about. If you look at the timeline, the project was first approved in 2015 which was when the NFF decided to do it and I was part of the NFF.
"The procurement process started in 2016, the value of $1.2m was around N300m and that was the value of the project to be delivered (specifications).
"There were delays in getting the land, the foundation laying ceremony and the contract signing were done in 2020. Before the project was signed, there was a public tender, public procurement in line with the Nigerian law, which was published and advertised; people competed and FIFA selected the contractor that did the job."
Meanwhile, the immediate past NFF president, Amaju Pinnick also gave his side of the story, per Arise TV.
NFF releases fire statement
Legit.ng earlier reported that the NFF has published a statement on its website in response to an allegation of mismanagement of funds by the federation.
The federation, which oversees all football-related matters in Nigeria, has been accused of embezzling funds received from FIFA and CAF towards football development.
Source: Legit.ng
