Nigeria woos over Ghana ..

....as Abedi Pele remains with S/Africa
TWENTY FOUR hours after the Segun Odegbami-led World Cup bid finally succeeded in wooing over Ghana to join Nigeria?s 2010 World Cup joint-hosting, Ghana?s soccer ambassador and one of the greatest soccer players of the African continent Abedi Pele told a television station in South Africa that ?for now, I remain with South Africa.?

South Africa are also in the race to host the 2010 World Cup. They lost the 2006 edition by one vote and many favour them to win the hosting right of the edition already ceded to Africa. Abedi Pele, Roger Milla were among the African ex internationals that campaigned for South Africa the last time. ?It feels different for you to work so hard with a team and now have to change especially when we were so close, losing by just one vote. I think for now, I remain with South Africa,? Pele said in response to a question on the bid.? On Monday night, Nigeria and Ghana signed a memorandum of understanding between both countries

At a formal meeting held in Ghana , top sports officials of both countries finally sealed their relationship by signing an agreement that would pave way for early preparations towards a joint-hosting World Cup in 2010. At the well attended ceremony, a high-powered Nigerian delegation which included the country?s sports minister, Steven Akiga and bid chairman Segun Odegbami, had a round-table meeting with their counterparts from Ghana to outline plans to meet the requirements set by the Federation of International Football Associations? {FIFA} bid committee. According to a BBC report, Ghana?s sports minister said the meeting has put to rest insinuations on where Ghana stood on the 2010 World Cup bid. He said the signing meant they were fully committed to the success of the project. ?It is a sign of our commitment and the role we have to play towards the staging of this World Cup with our brothers?, he said.