Super Eagles legend, Sunday Oliseh, has countered a claim that the membership of Nigeria Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick in the FIFA Council will benefit Nigeria.

Recall that Pinnick was elected into the FIFA Council – a non-executive, supervisory and strategic body that sets the vision for FIFA and global football last Friday in Rabat, Morocco.

NFF’s General Secretary, Sanusi Mohammed, in reaction to Pinnick’s victory, told NAN that the win  “is not only for him but for Nigeria and all Nigerians,” adding that “Nigeria will have an edge over those countries that do not have representation.”

However, during an interview on PUNCH Online programme, Kick & Follow on Friday, the former Super Eagles captain and coach admitted that the victory is for Pinnick’s benefit alone.

He said, “As an individual, I think it is great for President Amaju Pinnick that he has gotten that vote into the council. I think it is very good for him. But as a nation – Nigeria, it does not make any difference. I am a member of the FIFA Technical Committee for eight years.

“We as a technical committee propose changes from the technical side of how football should be developed. But at the end of the day, everything proposed has to be sanctioned by the executive group. We only propose. This council has so many people in it. They vote and talk about an issue, but at the end of the day, the executive committee decides.

“It is good for Pinnick, no doubt, I am happy for him, but for Nigeria, it doesn’t make any difference.

“For instance, I was on the technical committee for years. I was there when we played the Olympics in 2016, World Cup in 2014, but at the end of the day, did Nigeria get to the final? No.

“Look at it from another perspective, Sepp Blatter was the FIFA president for over 20 years, how many times did Switzerland qualify for the World Cup?”