Former Super Eagles goalkeeper and contestant in Friday’s Nigeria Football Federation presidential election, Idah Peterside, has alleged that some aspirants stormed the venue of the poll in Benin City, the Edo State capital, with bags of dollars in a bid to buy votes, The PUNCH reports.
The dollar rain at the NFF elections held at the Edo Heritage Hotel in Benin City was not unexpected.
The stakes were already high and tension was fever-pitched as Ibrahim Gusau emerged as the new NFF president after he won the election in a landslide victory.
He polled 21 votes to defeat his closest rival, Seyi Akinwunmi, who got 12. The second runner-up, Shehu Dikko, garnered six votes while Abba Yola and Peterside had one vote each.
Peterside stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission must get involved in Nigerian football if the ills were to be corrected.
“The problem we have here is that we need to bring in the EFCC if football must be right in our country,” Peterside said in a radio interview with Sports Salsa before the election on Friday.
“They must arrest people because it’s an economic crime when people are carrying bags of dollars without shame. The Central Bank of Nigeria will be proud on what they will find in these rooms.
“We did not sleep till 3am (Friday morning) because we were trying to convince people. Some told us they were offered $15,000; $10,000. What gain do I have to lie about this?
“A young man told me that he had $5,000 shared into six places to offer zones who would vote.”
Peterside also labelled the election venue a crime scene, saying, “the EFCC should come here and search rooms of this hotel. This is a crime scene. I have integrity to spend and love for the game. Hoodlums will continue to run our football and how can it improve?
“I will make noise to the roof; how do we hold people responsible with all these issues?”
After the election, he congratulated Gusau, following his victory and promised to offer his support to him if needed.
He added that he would contest the NFF presidency again in 2026.
“Congratulations to Ibrahim Gusau. The truth is that I understand the politics. People make promises with hope,” Peterside, a football pundit based in South Africa, said after the election.
“I came from outside to prove a point. I will be back next four years. The election cost me N15m to N20m. We won’t stop until the Congress is expanded. Then it will be a level playing ground.
“The process today (Friday) wasn’t bad. My life goes on, I have work to do at SuperSport, and I am also a pastor. I will be the NFF president. I will also be ready to offer my support to Gusau if he deems me worthy of such.”
