BY JUDE OPARA, ABUJA
The federal government Monday officially waded into the crisis rocking the Nigerian football as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) summoned the minister and chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Br. Tamuno Danagog and the executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) to his office.

The meeting according to sources was at the instance of the SGF who was said to have been disturbed by the numerous claims and counter claims by both the camp of the impeached president, Alhaji Aminu Maigari as well as those from the board of the NFF.

Monday there were talks in football circles that over the weekend, both President Goodluck Jonathan and the SGF had told the minister to ensure that the impeached Maigari was returned to office following what was said to have been his ‘outstanding’ achievement while in office.

However, before the minister and the board led by acting president, Chief Mike Umeh left for the office of the SGF at about 6pm on Monday, both the minister and the board had been locked in a meeting of which none of the two parties agreed to speak to the press.

According to sources, the directive of the federal government was hinged on the fears that Nigeria may be slammed with yet another FIFA ban if it was true that Maigari was unjustly removed from office, hence the ‘directive’ that the Bauchi State born administrator be returned to office before this week.

Already those I the camp of Maigai have been jubilating and telling anybody who cared to listen that the impeached president was due to return to office this week even as it still; remains hazy how that would be achieved because as it stands it is only the congress of the NFF which is yet to be convoked that has the power to officially quash the impeachment in line with both the NFF and FIFA Statutes.