The captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Ahmed Musa who is currently playing for Nigeria Professional Football League side Kano Pillars was consciously missing from the list of players called up for the Africa Nations Championship qualifiers game against Ghana, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Interim coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Austine Eguavoen and his other assistants in Daniel Ogumodede and Fidelis Ilechukwu had a week with the players at their training camp in Abuja ahead of the game.
However Musa who qualifies to play for the game by virtue of the fact that the tournament is meant for players playing in their respective leagues, or on the African continent was conspicuously missing from the list of players called up fot the two legged game.
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We sought to know from sources at the NFF why Musa who have been an instant hit since rejoining Kano Pillars isn’t in the list, and we can exclusively reveal that a provision in the eligibility to play in the tournament or it’s qualifiers knocked the most capped Super Eagles player ever out of the team.
His omission was brought about by Article 38 in Chapter 16 of the Regulations of the African Nations Championship which dwells more on player’s eligibility for the qualifiers and also the tournament.
The Article 38.2 reads: “Only players with permanent contract registered in a local club affiliated to their national association are eligible to participate in the African Nations Championship.”
Musa is presently on a short term deal with Pillars hence isn’t qualified to represent the team.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
