Uduaghan, Ogba congratulate Pinnick

Former Delta State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has congratulated NFF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick on his victory at the FIFA Executive Council election yesterday in Rabat, Morocco.

Also, former Delta State Commissioner for Sports, Chief Solomon Ogba sent out a congratulatory message to Pinnick yesterday, describing his victory as a very special one for all Nigerians; especially Deltans, who have watched his meteoric rise in sports administrator over the years.

Pinnick was elected into the exalted position of FIFA Executive committee after emerging victorious at the 43rd CAF General Assembly, winning by 43 votes to his opponents 8 votes.

Dr. Uduaghan, under whose tenure as Governor of Delta State between 2007 and 2015 opened the doors of opportunity for Pinnick to express his God-given talent as sports administrator wrote on his facebook page saying: “Congratulations to Amaju Pinnick.”

One bold step Dr. Uduaghan took shortly after he assumed office in 2007 was the creation of Delta Sports Commission, which gave sports activities professional and institutional leverage in Delta state.

It took the state legislators six months to debate the bill before it was passed into law, and once passed, Pinnick was named chairman. The creation of the Sports Commission helped Pinnick to discover the comparative advantage of every section of the state.

Pinnick’s tenure as Delta Sports Commission boss turned in excellent results for the state within a short period, including making sports self-sustaining.

Apart from leading Team Delta to victory at KADA 2008 and EKO 2012 National Sports Festival, the Nigerian version of the Olympics Games, Pinnick made it possible for coaches and athletes to go on an internship in some notable European clubs, a programme he executed through private sponsorship without straining the state government for fund.

In his congratulatory message yesterday, Chief Solomon Ogba said: “This is indeed a great day for Nigerian sports and I am very happy to see our country being projected in shining light in world football circles,” Ogba said. “I congratulate my brother, Pinnick, and everyone that supported this great course.”