Maigari: Victory in Addis Ababa key to World Cup ticket

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari said on Thursday the victory for the Super Eagles in Addis Ababa next weekend would pave the way for Nigeria’s 2014 FIFA World Cup ticket.

“The clash between Nigeria and Ethiopia is a two-legged affair, but we know that if we win in Ethiopia on Sunday next week, 90 per cent of the job would have been done.

“Of course, we are taking both legs of the fixture very serious. But we are determined to prove in Addis Ababa that we are the champions of Africa and we can win on any soil,” Maigari told the media in Abuja.

The NFF spoke at the occasion of presentation of the report of an investigative committee set up to unravel circumstances behind a petition lodged with world football-governing body, FIFA, by a former Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League, Chief Rumson Baribote. FIFA
has since dismissed Baribote’s petition as having no legs to stand on.

Speaking further on the match, Maigari called on the entire Nigeria football family, including media practitioners, to work in unison with the NFF and pray towards a Super Eagles’ triumph in Addis Ababa on Sunday, 13th October.

The African champions face the lowest ranked team left in the race in the continent at the National Stadium, Addis Ababa in the first leg, with the return scheduled for the U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar on Saturday, 16th November.

Earlier, Chairman of the committee, Chief Emeka Inyama stated that his panel did a thorough job, interrogating even NFF President Aminu Maigari, and followed football’s best practices in the discharge of its duties.

NFF Executive Committee members, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu and Alhaji Ahmad Muazu Kawu and foremost journalist Richard Jideaka also served on the committee, with Tajudeen Tiamiyu as secretary. The committee’s report and recommendations will be presented to the NFF Executive
Committee at its next meeting.