Despite Nigeria’s fine run in the World Cup 2018 qualifiers, the minister for Youth and Sports Development Solomon Dalung says they shouldn’t bother going to the World Cup in Russia, since they can’t win it.
Nigeria is presently holding a four point lead over Cameroon in group B of the CAF race to be in the World Cup 2018 tournament. Dalung in an interview with
the hausa service of the Voice of America (VOA) wants the Eagles to focus on the Africa Cup of Nations.
He believes Nigeria stands a chance of winning the AFCON unlike the World Cup, terming participation at the Mundial a waste of scarce resources.
Dalung said, “The cup that we can win is the African Cup of Nations.
“There is nothing again that will take us to another man’s balcony in the name of the World Cup. We already have the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. For these, we can attend such meets.
“But I am opposed to the World Cup. We don’t agree to it. Conspiracy in the World Cup is too much.
“We are here suffering from hunger and we don’t have money for such things.
“There is the issue of bribery and favouritism, there is also the issue of corruption before you are even given the hosting rights.
“That is why, even if we try many times, once it gets into the politics of the game, we can never win.
“That was why this year, we had to tackle him (FIFA President, Ginani Infantino) and we said, ‘you , Infantino, if you win this election, you have to give us a position.
“If not, we shall not agree.’ And you see, by the grace of God, he even picked an African as his Secretary-General, that means one day, we shall get to really lick the honey, that also means he has started taking honey and rubbing on our lips,” he added.
