South South football stakeholders to honour Pinnick in Uyo

Football stakeholders in the South South zone would tomorrow roll out the drums to honour Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick in Uyo ahead of the AFCON 2019 qualifier between the Super Eagles and Libya.

Amaju, who is also the first vice president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is being honoured by the zone over his numerous achievements as NFF president and for breaking the jinx of incumbents at the Glass House not doing a second term. Amaju waqs re-elected to his position at the September 20 NFF elections in Katsina.

A leading stakeholder, Dr. Peter Singabele, who is a patron of the South South zone, said yesterday that Amaju as a worthy son of the South South deserved to be recognised and honoured by his people for doing the zone proud.

Singabele said: “Amaju has done well as president of NFF. His records are there for everybody to see and this is why members of the football family from every part of the country rallied round him in Katsina. What happened in Katsina shows that football is truly a uniting factor in the country. For those of us from South South we feel we should honor him for doing us proud. We are happy with that he has given us quality representation.”

Chairman of Akwa Ibom State FA, Emmanuel Ibah, who is now a board member of NFF, noted that Amaju has while climbing up the ladder carried along so many Nigerians.

“The number of Nigerians in CAF and FIFA committees today attests to that. He is a patriot that deserves to be honoured and this is why we are rolling out the drums to celebrate him a day before the match against Libya.”

Spokesman of the South South zone, Frank Ilaboya disclosed that the event, which would hold at Monty Suites, would be graced by Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, sports commissioners and FA chairmen from the zone, as well as other key stakeholders.