By Tony Ubani, in South Africa
FIFA and CAF Executive committee member, Dr. AmosAdamu, has denied visiting FIFA President, Sepp Blatter with Sports Minister, Ibrahim Isa Bio, with a view to reforming Nigerian football. Bio met Blatter on Wednesday in Johannesburg.

Sports Minister

Speaking on telephone in South Africa, Adamu said he was shocked at the report and wondered how he could have been at a meeting that was meant to force government into interfering in football management, when FIFA preaches independence.

He said: “I was not a party to such a meeting. I respect the minister and the NSC leadership and we have been going on very well but FIFA will be informed of the latest development and they will make an official statement on the matter.
On my part, I repeat, I was not at such a meeting and my name should not be dragged into needless controversy.
Adamu further said that FIFA, as a global soccer body does not concern itself with particular countries or continents and could not have singled out Nigeria and Cote d’ Ivoire for special mention when infact the latter still has a chance of making it to the next stage of the championship.

It would be recalled that former Sports Minister, Bala Bawa Ka’oje, had written to the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA), to help facilitate a letter to FIFA on reforms in Nigerian football.

The letter unequivocally stated then that the government will grant to the football federation absolute independence.
FIFA is now acting on that letter to query fresh request for football reforms in the country.

Bio was said to have met with FIFA President Sepp Blatter seeking their support to carry out reforms in NFA. Dr. Adamu was reported to be in that meeting. But the FIFA man has denied that.