Stephen Keshi to sign on again as Nigeria coach

The 52-year-old’s initial contract expired with the World Cup in Brazil, but he wanted to continue after leading the Super Eagles to last year’s Africa Cup of Nations title and a place in the round of 16 in Brazil.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi, right, shown before his side's 2014 World Cup round of 16 match against France. Peter Powell / EPA

ABUJA // Stephen Keshi is set to sign a new contract as Nigeria coach next week, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) executive committee announced.

The 52-year-old’s initial contract expired with the World Cup in Brazil, but he expressed his willingness to continue after leading the Super Eagles to last year’s Africa Cup of Nations title and a place in the round of 16 in Brazil.

“The executive committee has mandated the secretariat to reach out to Keshi and conclude the details of his contract,” NFF spokesperson Emeka Iyama said.

“We expect that the signing would be next week so that he can resume work ahead of the fast-approaching 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series,” he said.

Keshi’s immediate task will be a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on September 7 between Nigeria and Rwanda.

South Africa and Sudan are also in the group with the top two qualifying for the finals in Morocco in January.

Meanwhile, world governing body FIFA on Thursday demanded for a full explanation regarding the purported dismissal of Aminu Maigari as president of the NFF by the executive committee last July 24.

But in a letter dated August 4, addressed to NFF general secretary Musa Amadu and signed by deputy secretary general Markus Kattner, FIFA demanded a more detailed explanation leading to Maigari’s sacking.

They asked for the agenda of the executive committee meeting that sacked Maigari, the conditions for the amendment of the agenda and whether the president was given the chance to defend himself.

FIFA also stated that the dismissal of any executive committee member was the prerogative of the NFF general assembly and not the executive committee.

The world football ruling body expressed surprise that despite the lifting of the suspension of Nigeria last July 18, the situation in the west African nation has become “so inextricable”.

FIFA’s suspension came after a Nigerian court sacked the NFF leadership and appointed a sole administrator for the federation.

Elections to the executive committee are due to be conducted on August 26.

However, on the heels of the letter from FIFA, the NFF executive committee on Thursday suspended two of their members, Chris Green and Yusuf Ahmed, for what they described as “anti-board activities”.

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