A
source close to former Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has revealed how the
Nigeria Football Federation breached the contract it had with the former national
team captain, insisting that the football body was not sincere in its
relationship with the coach.
Keshi,
who was dismissed by the NFF on July 5 after it was claimed that he applied for
a vacant Ivory Coast coaching job, has written to the football body through his
lawyer, demanding an apology and compensation for defamation of character.
The
source told our correspondent on Monday that contrary to reports that the NFF
got the letter on Friday, Keshi’s lawyer actually delivered the letter to the
NFF on July 15, the day Sunday Oliseh was unveiled as replacement for Keshi.
“They are full of lies; very insincere people.
We gave them the letter on the day they unveiled Oliseh but they didn’t
respond,” the source, who did not want his name in print, said.
“Keshi
was embarrassed and intimidated by the NFF; he was not given a fair hearing
before he was dismissed for an offence he did not commit. He did not apply for
the Ivory Coast job, his agent did that without informing him at that time.
“They
said he invited a non-league player, but they forget that his job description
stated that he could invite any player to the Super Eagles as long as he is a
Nigerian. The player in question was a former Flying Eagles invitee and had
played in Malta before returning to Nigeria.”
The
source said Keshi’s lawyer had not decided whether to take the matter to the
Court of Arbitration for Sports or file it at a Nigerian court.
“The
lawyer will decide on that soon. We ask for an apology and damages for
defamation of Keshi’s character to the tune of N1bn,” he said.
“Keshi
is an African legend who has the fourth highest honour that could be bestowed
on any Nigerian; he has the highest honour a civilian could have in Togo; he
won the AFCON as a player and as a coach, so he does not deserve the ill
treatment meted out to him.”
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