The secretary-general of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Mohammed Sanusi has reacted in a noncommittal manner to allegations of bribery being hurdled at late ex-coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi by some former players in the team, megasportsarena.com reports.
Rather than make any categorical statement on the issue, which was first aired by ex-Germany-based attacker, Chinedu Obasi, then carried by Taye Taiwo, Imoh Ezekiel and a couple of others, Sanusi said he or anyone else in the soccer governing body cannot speak on the matter since no one has come forward with a formal complaint of any wrong doing allegedly done by Keshi.
The NFF scribe added during Radio Nigeria Network News that he has heard about the ongoing rumour and read reports in newspapers about speculation of bribery leveled against the Eagles’ coaching crew before they made the selection of players for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but stressed that he will not make any elaborate comment about it unless someone forwards a written petition to that effect for the country’s football officials to investigate.
In one of the said allegations, 33-year-old Obasi, who was the first Nigerian to play at U17, U20, U23 and senior levels for Nigeria in all FIFA-organised competitions, but is now clubless, since leaving AIK Solna of Sweden early this year, said: “I was supposed to be at the World Cup in 2014, I was playing with Schalke in the Champions League everything was going fine.
“At the end of the season, I was given an invitation for the World Cup preparations for friendlies in South Africa. So, two days before the list came out, I was asked to pay some money if I wanted to be in the team.
“I felt like I’ve paid my dues for the country, if you’re a new player, I can get that but for me, it was a bit personal and very heart-breaking because I got injured – I was supposed to move from Hoffenheim to England.”
However, in his response, the NFF scribe refused to address the issue categorically, nor did he take on any of the complainants individually, as he opted to play safe with a sweeping yet very cagey comment, in which he insisted that the matter remains a mere rumour, unless one of the said players boldly steps out with an official statement backed up by incontrovertible evidence.
He also stopped short of declaring categorically what approach top shots at The Football House in Abuja would follow should they eventually get a formal complaint from one of the allegedly aggrieved players, but Sanusi pointed out that any allegation of wrong doing raised against a coach should be backed up with evidence.
Consequently, in the absence of an official statement by any of the said players, who have been quoted in various online media outlets and newspapers as well as a radio interview one of them granted in the past week, Sanusi submitted that the issue will only be seen as mere allegations.
Sanusi said: “This is something that has been going on only in the pages of newspapers. Nobody has come forward with any petition or a compliant. Since there is nothing official in this matter, we cannot say anything for now. We cannot react unless there is an official letter to that effect.”
