THE HARRISON JALLA PERSPECTIVE- EFCC, ICPC To Investigate 1.5 Billion Naira Aiteo Cup Monies

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) under Amaju Pinnick’s watch would have to account for 1.5 Billion Naira Aiteo Cup money for 2019, 2020 and 2021.

It would be recalled that the 2020 edition of the Aiteo Cup could not played due the Covid-19 Pandemic, but the sponsors still fulfilled their contractual obligation by paying the NFF through their agent Financial Derivatives.

The annual worth of the Aiteo Cup sponsorship is 500 Million Naira.

Up and until the shabbily and hastily-organised 2021 Aiteo Cup,  finalists of the 2019 edition Kano Pillars and Niger Tornadoes FC have not been paid their prize monies.

But Aiteo Group through its spokesperson Ndiana Abasi has confirmed that his company has met all obligations to NFF to date through their agents, Financial Derivatives.

Kano Pillars on Sunday, the 28th of July 2019, defeated Niger Tornadoes on penalties in the 2019 edition of the Aiteo Cup played at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna.

The runners-up Niger Tornadoes were supposed to be paid 10 Million Naira, while Kano Pillars the champions were entitled to 25 Million Naira.

And in the 2021 Edition of the cup competition, the NFF have again allegedly diverted the sponsorship cash from the Aiteo Cup by hurriedly instructing the States Football Associations without any form of competitions for the oldest trophy in the history of Nigeria football to submit names of two clubs from each state to participate in this year’s tournament. 

There are clear indications that football stakeholders have recently petitioned the two major anti-graft agencies, EFCC and ICPC, to look into alleged mismanagement and diversion of the Aiteo Cup funds in a bid to recover them.

BY HARRISON JALLA