Alhaji Abdullahi Abba Yola’s hope of succeeding Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick as the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in the September 30 elective congress of Nigeria’s football fixed for Benin, Edo State, has received further boost as the Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has thrown the full weight of the state behind his candidature.
Governor Ganduje made the official declaration on Monday’s evening when he received Abba Yola who hails from Kano, the commercial nerve center of Northern Nigeria, at the Kano State government liaison office in Asokoro, Abuja.
Ganduje, after attentively listening to Abba Yola, who briefed him the motive behind his quest to lead Nigeria’s football for the next four years, applauded the sporting contributions and achievements of the Kano born sports administrator and pledged the state government full support to his aspiration.
He said the decision to back Abba Yola aspiration for NFF presidency was not merely because he is an indigene of Kano, but that Nigeria deserves best and someone who understands international politics of the round leather game.
“I am behind you, not because you’re a son of the soil of Kano, but because you deserve it. You’ve been in the sporting arena for a long time.
“We require someone who will motivate, coordinate, lead and understand international politics in the football sector because it’s a global issue. No matter how much you do well as a country, you need to know the intricacies of the politics of the profession all over the world and I am sure, you’re equal to the task,” Ganduje declared.
“I think you’ve been in the climate for a long time and you’ve acclimatised yourself and therefore you’re a member of the family of the sporting activities in Nigeria. You’ve the experience, capacity, capability and the attributes of a sportsman and sports administrator for that matter.
“And this is not new to the people of Kano, I could recall Ibrahim Galadima, who is still very much around, if I can say you are his tutelage, I think I’m right, so knowing him, what he did and his antecedents, one can conclude that you can do the job.”
“So, we’ll do all that it takes to pray, campaign for you and I believe you’re the best candidate and Nigeria at this trying moment requests the best candidate, considering our recent performance in the international scene.”
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