I was able to educate Peter Obi - Former NFF president responds to allegations of FIFA fund mismanagement

Amaju Pinnick responds to Peter Obi’s criticism to allegations of FIFA fund mismanagement Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has dismissed allegations of financial mismanagement in the controversial FIFA Goal Project in Kebbi State, calling the situation a “misunderstanding” rather than a case of corruption. His clarification follows widespread public outrage after FIFA shared a photo of the half-completed Kebbi Stadium on social media, a project reportedly funded with $1.2 million from FIFA’s development grant. The image, which surfaced online in 2023, showed the stadium in an unfinished state, prompting Nigerians to question how the funds were utilised. Peter Obi says Corruption in Sports Reflects Nigeria’s Deeper Malaise Earlier, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi had issued a strong statement condemning corruption in Nigeria’s sports sector. In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Obi described the situation as “a heartbreaking reflection of Nigeria’s deeper malaise.” “FIFA’s recent revelation about the mismanagement of funds released to Nigeria’s Football Federation for stadium development and youth talent growth is both sickening and shameful. It mirrors the broader decay in how our scarce national resources are handled,” Obi wrote. The former Anambra State governor also recalled that Awka was selected years ago as one of six locations for a FIFA-funded stadium project. However, he said the project never materialised, forcing his administration to construct the Awka Stadium independently. “Years later, nothing came of the promised FIFA project, which prompted us to initiate the construction of the Awka Stadium ourselves,” Obi noted. He lamented that since 2013, about $25 million has reportedly been received by the NFF from FIFA and CAF for football and youth development, yet “there is little or nothing to show for it.” “The so-called $1.2 million stadium in Kebbi State is a national embarrassment. The structure in no way reflects the funds claimed to have been spent on it,” he added. Obi further called for transparency and accountability, stating that Nigeria’s leadership must embrace integrity to rebuild the nation. “Until we start demanding accountability in every sector, including sports our nation will continue to crawl where it should be soaring. A New Nigeria is POssible,” he concluded. What Pinnick said Speaking on ARISE News on Wednesday, Pinnick defended the transparency and accountability of the project, noting that FIFA’s financial monitoring system leaves no room for diversion of funds. “There was no mismanagement whatsoever. FIFA has a strict monitoring and auditing system that ensures every dollar released for Goal Projects is tracked,” Pinnick said. Pinnick also addressed the public backlash from 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, adding that misinformation had contributed to the misunderstanding. “When I saw what they said Peter Obi said, I called Peter Obi and I was able to educate him on this issue. He is a statesman, and I told him we must weigh whatever we say carefully. We cannot continue to keep quiet when we see things we can correct,” he said. He explained that delays in completion were caused by “logistical and bureaucratic challenges,” not corruption. According to him, the project remains under construction and will be delivered as intended. The FIFA Goal Project initiative was introduced to help developing football nations build infrastructure such as training pitches, administrative offices, and stadiums. Nigeria has benefited from several Goal Projects across different states, including Abuja, Delta, and Kebbi. However, the Kebbi project has drawn controversy after photos of the incomplete stadium went viral. Many Nigerians took to social media to accuse NFF officials of diverting the allocated funds.