Sports Ministry Panel Indicts Pinnick, Akinwunmi, Shehu Dikko, Demands They Be Investigated For Fraud, Emblezzlement
An administrative panel set up by the NFF supervising ministry has indicted Amaju Pinnick, Seyi Akinwunmi, Shehu Dikko, Sanusi Mohammed and Ahmed Yusuf ‘Fresh’ after it investigated allegations of fraud and emblezzlement leveled against them.
It is also recommended that Pinnick and the other top officials be thoroughly investigated by the various anti-corruption agencies because the allegations against them are criminal and weighty.
The panel, headed by Z.S. Adeyanju, also noted that the non-appearance of Pinnick and the other NFF chiefs amounted to withholding of evidence, which suggested lack of transparency, insubordination and admission of guilt.
“The non-appearance of the Persons Being Investigated (PBIs) before the committee amounts to withholding of evidence and therefore suggest lack of transparency, insubordination and admission of guilt,” stated the panel.
“Consequently, notices of indictment should be issued to each of the PBIs for deliberately frustrating the work of the committee.
“This will, hopefully, serve as a deterrent against the penchant of some officials to treat with levity invitations to appear before committees set up by Government.”
The panel also directed the termination of the appointments of Financial Derivatives Company Limited and PricewaterhouseCoopers by NFF as they were illegal because their appointments did not comply with the Procurement Act 2007 and Financial Regulations.
Additionally, it was recommended that the NFF Statutes 2010 be reviewed because of the many grey areas inherent in it and in the interim the NFA Act should guide the operations of the NFF.
