The Minister of Sports, Tammy Danagogo, said on Thursday in Abuja that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Board, led by Amaju Pinnick, would bear the consequences of Stephen Keshi’s sack.

Keshi and his technical crew were fired in the early hours of Thursday after the Super Eagles thrashed Sudan 3-1 in the AFCON 2015 qualifier played at the National Stadium, Abuja.

Amaju Pinnick, NFF chair

Danagogo, who admitted that it was the duty of the NFF to hire and fire coaches, told newsmen that the authorities at the Glass House should answer for the sack when it became necessary.

“When they came back from Sudan and told me that they didn’t want Keshi again, I told them that they will be held responsible for whatever decision they are taking.

“This is because if decisions are taken by the proper organs that should take them, those organs should be able and stand up to whatever results that comes with it.

“In as much as a lot of Nigerians appreciate Keshi for what he has done for the country, the ultimate decision of having him on the saddle rests with the NFA and its technical committee.

“If they (NFF) insist that the only way they can achieve result is by having him step aside, it’s fine, but I hope they succeed.

“My prayer is that they will succeed in bringing people that will change the dwindling fortune of our football.

“I have told the NFA to be very careful, objective and circumspect in whatever they are deciding because I will not want to use my subjective judgment in any of this issue,’’ Danagogo said.

The minister, who said he was shocked at the announcement, also said that Keshi’s sack was ill-timed.

He said the Super Eagles had in recent times declined in form but said there were different ways of approaching the issue rather than sacking the coach.

“I thought the sack would have happened after the loss in Sudan, not after this victory; that’s why I say I was shocked.

“I wouldn’t have been shocked if it had been done then because when they came back they told me they wanted to sack him but I told them to be objective.

“I told them that in whatever they are doing they should listen to the players and the coaching crew before they take this kind of weighty decision,’’ he told newsmen.