Amaju Pinnick Responds After Renowned Journalist Asks if He Stole NFF Funds
- Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, has responded to a tricky question of embezzlement
- Pinnick was asked if he stole money during his time as the NFF President for two tenures of eight years
- The former FIFA Council member dismissed the allegations as unfounded and recounted his background
- A Nigerian journalist was displeased with the segment during the over-hour-long interview on the podcast
The former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has responded to whether he stole money during his tenure in the organisation.
Pinnick served as a two-term president of the NFF from 2014 to 2022, after which he handed over to the current president, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
Source: Getty Images
The Super Eagles qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and won the bronze medal at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt during his time.
However, despite his success, there were allegations that he mismanaged funds in the organisation, a claim he has vehemently denied.
Pinnick denies stealing NFF funds
Amaju Pinnick, speaking on The Playzone Podcast, dismissed the allegations that he stole money as NFF boss and instead shared insights into how he built his business.
Pinnick is a flashy personality who reportedly owns a fleet of luxury cars, including a Rolls-Royce and an armoured SUV, which probes into his life.
“What life was I living before NFF? I'm asking you. My daughter went to England when she was eight. She's getting married in two months. She has two degrees, and that was in 2007, way before NFF,” he said.
“Have I ever worked for anybody in my life? Have you ever bothered to ask if I worked for any business? No.”
He recounted his experience hosting a show at the University of Benin in 1990, when Sina Peters performed. He admitted to spending 25,000 and recouping 96,000.
He added that he set up his business, AMP Ventures, and was a contractor for the Delta State and Bayelsa State governments in the 90s, supplying cement.
The former Delta State FA President claimed that he was a successful businessman before venturing into sports administration and that he never stole money.
He served as CAF’s first vice chairman from 2018 to 2019, and was also a FIFA Council member until 2025 when he lost his re-election bid, as noted by Punch.
Source: Getty Images
FIFA rewarded Pinnick for his service by appointing him as the deputy chairperson of the FIFA Men’s National Teams Competitions Committee.
He has remained a vocal voice for Nigerian football and argued Nigeria's case during CAF’s hearing into the airport hostage ordeal in Libya in 2014.
In recent times, he has spoken about the current state of the Super Eagles and the work done in Nigerian football by his successor, Ibrahim Gusau.
A Nigerian journalist who pleaded anonymity claimed that the question was a poor one and that no one is ever expected to say yes to such a question.
“That was a poor question,” he told Legit.ng. “What were the moderators expecting? That he would say he stole NFF funds? Even those charged with evidence in court still pleaded not guilty.”
“It was a poor attempt to make a chitchat sound like a hot seat, but it failed woefully for those who see through the interview.”
Pinnick reacts to FIFA funds scandal
Legit.ng previously reported that Amaju Pinnick reacted to the scandal surrounding the NFF over the utilisation of the FIFA Forward Programme funds.
The world football governing body reportedly disbursed $1.2 million to the NFF for two mini-pitches during Pinnick’s tenure as president.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
