Defiant Sanusi: FIFA Will Ban Nigeria Should I Be Sacked, Sports Minister Can’t Order My Dismissal

Under-fire NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi is stopping at nothing to keep his plum job after warning that Nigeria risk a FIFA ban should he be booted out and that Sports Minister Sunday Dare does not have the powers to order for his dismissal.

Sanusi’s contract, which pays him $10,000 a month, is due to expire December 2023.

As head of the NFF Secretariat since 2015, the former Polytechnic lecturer has proved to be groosly incompetent, lacking leadership and has hugely politicised and personalised the engine-room of Nigeria Football.

As signatory to the NFF accounts, Sanusi has variously been fingered in the corruption cases that have overtaken the NFF in the past eight years.

The NFF Secretariat scandalously failed to conclude this year’s Federation Cup and almost bungled the Super Eagles 2018 World Cup campaign when Nigeria were docked three points for fielding an ineligible Shehu Abdullahi  against Algeria.

A top official told www.insideglasshouse.com: “Sanusi has been boasting that FIFA recognise him and should he be sacked before the end of his contract, the world football governing body will ban Nigeria.

“He further boasted that the Sports Minister did not appoint him and as such he cannot sack him.”

It would be recalled that Sanusi dared the Minister and refused to meet him in the days leading up to the NFF Elections in Benin City in September.

Since then he has ran to the Attorney general of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami as well as former NFF President Amaju Pinnick to save his neck.

 Sanusi was appointed General Secretary on the recommendation of Pinnick and this was ratified by the NFF Congress.

Previously, the head of the NFF Secretariat was a civil servant seconded from the supervising Sports Ministry.