Sports
NFF Election: Peterside Threatens Legal Action If Disqualified
Ahead of the September 30 Nigeria Football Federation, NFF election, presidential contestant and former national team goalkeeper, Idah Peterside, has threatened to take legal action if disqualified from contesting.
Peterside made this known during a live radio programme monitored by Tidesports, following rumour that some of the contestants might be disqualified before election day.
The NFF presidency race turned a fascinating twist after the incumbent, Amaju Pinnick, the first man to head the body for two terms, confirmed he would not be running for a third term.
At the Annual General Assembly earlier this month, September 30 was announced as the date for the election, with the electoral and appeals committees set up.
With 31 days to the all-important day in Nigerian football, the coast is definitely not clear of potential turbulence and crisis, as about 15 contenders, who all picked up their forms on Monday in Abuja, battle for the single position of the NFF president,.
Reacting to the rumour of possible disqualification, Peterside said he would take the electoral committee to court if denied the right to contest.
“We will go to court,” the former Super Eagles media officer stated bluntly, when asked about the action he would take if he was screened out by the electoral committee.”
It wouldn’t make sense because when I played for Nigeria they did not screen me. When I was playing for Nigeria they said I was a Nigerian and based on the fact that I was born here and I have a Nigerian passport that should be the qualification, except they have a case against me or I have committed a crime that does not qualify me for the position.
“Except for those, there is no reason to disqualify me and I don’t care where I am living because that shouldn’t be the criteria, as long as I have a Nigerian passport.”
The South Africa-based Idah added, “I have looked at the statutes and we need to challenge some of them.
“ I am not saying I am going to be disqualified because there is no reason for that.
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”