FIFA lifts suspension of Nigerian football federation

FIFA has today, 18 July 2014, lifted the suspension that was imposed on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on 9 July 2014 on account of interference.

FIFA has noted that the  proceedings and order of a high court in Jos Nigeria preventing the president of the Nigerian Football federation(NFF), the NFF Executive Committee members and the NFF Congress from running the affairs of Nigerian football that prompted the suspension have been vacated.

As statutory order has been reinstated at the NFF and the legitimate bodies reinstalled, FIFA has decided to lift the suspension as of today, Friday 18 July 2014.

The lifting of the suspension means that all rights of the NFF as a FIFA member as defined in article 12 of the FIFA Statutes are reinstated.  Which affects MEMBERS RIGHTS Members’ rights under the said article 12 and Nigeria now hall all these rights restored.

1. Members have the following rights:

 a) to take part in the Congress;

 b) to draw up proposals for inclusion in the agenda of the Congress;

 c) to nominate candidates for the FIFA presidency;12 II. MEMBERSHIP

 d) to take part in competitions organised by FIFA; 

 e) to take part in FIFA’s assistance and development programmes;

 f) to exercise all other rights arising from these Statutes and other 

regulations.

2. The exercise of these rights is subject to other provisions in these Statutes 

and the applicable regulations.

The implication is that Nigeria is now free to participate in U-20 Women's world cup, and also the Under 17 African football championship qualifiers 

This is a good development for Nigerian football, though it is believed that the last is yet to be heard on the NFF issue as the embattled  Aminu- Maigari led board earlier sacked and now reinstated is likely to be eventually removed   by due process, following FIFA rules and regulations.