NFA Replies Query On Bribery Allegation

Nigeria Football Association (NFA) has finally replied to the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) query on the allegation by Liberia that Nigeria bribed Ghana to qualify for the Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Interim Secretary General Patrick Okpomo told THIS DAYSports last night that he had replied the query explaining that Nigeria did not bribe Ghana to win the match.

Okpomo explained that the $25,000 United States Dollars was given to both the Nigeria Super Eagles and their Ghanaian Black Stars after the match when the Rivers State Governor Dr. Peter Odili hosted the teams and officials to a dinner at the Government House in Port-Harcourt.

"You don't announce a bribe. How can a governor announce that he gave the Ghanaians and the Super Eagles some amount of money and yet it is termed bribery. If he had wanted to bribe the Ghanaians, perhaps he would have quietly sent somebody to hand over the money to the Ghanaians days before the match was played.