The man who described himself as
the “chief legal officer” of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other
Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in the case against officials of the Nigeria
Football Federation (NFF) was not authorised to do so, TheCable can report.
Celsus Ukpong, in suit no.
FHC/ABJ/CR/93/2019 filed on Tuesday by him on behalf of the attorney-general of
the federation, charged five NFF officials before the Abuja division of the
federal high court over 17 allegations bordering on corruption, one of which
was “failing to declare assets before the Special Presidential Investigative
Panel and Recovery (SPIP)”.
However, ICPC was contacted on Wednesday to confirm if Ukpong was acting on behalf of the anti-graft agency
but Rasheedat Okoduwa, the spokesperson, flatly denied.
“Mr. Ukpong is not prosecuting
NFF on behalf of ICPC. The commission has withdrawn him from the Special
Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP). The secretary to the government of the
federation in a letter dated 14 February 2019 directed the chairman of SPIP to
release him immediately,” she said.
Okoi Obono-Obla is the chairman
of the SPIP.
On Tuesday, SPIP, acting on
behalf of the federal government, alleged that NFF official misappropriated
$8.4 million belonging to the federation.
The money was said to have been
paid by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to the NFF
as appearance fees for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The accused persons are Amaju
Pinnick (NFF president), Seyi Akinwunmi, 1st vice president, Shehu Dikko, 2nd
vice president, Mohammed Sanusi, general secretary and Ahmed Yusuf Fresh, NFF
executive member.
The defendants were also accused
of “moving the cash” belonging to the NFF without the consent of the
federation.
They have all denied the allegations.
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