Nigeria's sports ministry has rejected FIFA's assessment that the government has interfered with the running of the country's football federation.
Football’s world governing body has given Nigeria's government until Tuesday to reinstate the sacked Nigerian Football Federation members.
But Nigeria's National Sports Commission (NSC) said yesterday that the issue is a result of a court action and "nothing to do with government".
"The National Sports Commission has received the news of the suspension of the NFF by FIFA on the grounds of an alleged court order which the world football body has interpreted as government interference in the affairs of the football house.
"The National Sports Commission wishes to state that the said court action brought against the NFF followed an internal crisis within the football family and has nothing to do with government.
"While FIFA has stated that unless the court action is withdrawn, the suspension of the NFF will not be lifted, it is pertinent to state that neither the NSC nor government is involved in the court process," stated.
