World football governing body, FIFA has issued neighbouring West African states, Nigeria and Ghana an ultimatum warning of bans if undue influence over the world’s most popular sport is not curbed.
According to BBC, Nigeria’s ban could come as a result of a recent court decision recognising Chris Giwa who is currently under a ban from FIFA as the Nigerian Football Federation’s president instead of Amaju Pinnick.
The dispute between Giwa and Pinnick can be drawn back to 2014 elections which Giwa has been protesting since. On 20 September the NFF’s next elections are scheduled to hold as Pinnick’s tenure comes to an end.
Ghana on the other hand must withdraw a high court petition, brought by the attorney general to have the football association liquidated, by the 27th of August or face a ban from the world governing body.
The petition in Ghana is part of the fallout from investigative journalist Anas Aramayaw’s most recent documentary exposing corruption in the world of football particularly in Ghana and Africa at large.
FIFA has spoken, Nigeria and Ghana, the ball is in your court.