FIFA to Decide on NFF Reforms After Stakeholders Present Split Views

Photo Credit: Original photo by Punch Newspapers – Caption: Dikko (middle) with FIFA and CAF officials.
FIFA to Decide on NFF Reforms After Stakeholders Present Split Views
The assessment mission by FIFA and CAF on the leadership crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) concluded on Tuesday, leaving the world football body to decide on the next steps for reforms in Nigerian football.

The intervention by FIFA followed the resignation of NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and other board members on August 27. Their exit came amid growing pressure over the poor performance of Nigeria’s national teams, including the failure of both senior men’s and women’s teams to qualify for their respective World Cups.

The joint FIFA/CAF delegation that visited Nigeria included Ahmed Harraz, FIFA’s Member Association Governance Services team lead; Rolf Tanner, Head of Member Association Governance; El Hadj Wack Diop, lead of FIFA’s Regional Office for West Africa; and Nnaemeka Olu, CAF Legal Manager.

At the end of the two-day mission, the delegation consulted with various interest groups within the NFF, including the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).

According to sources at the meeting, the players’ union, coaches association and referees association presented a common front. They called for equal representation and voting rights for all stakeholders in the NFF Congress, Board and Standing Committees, and supported a stakeholder-driven normalisation process.

In contrast, state FA chairmen, who control about 84% of the voting power in the current NFF Congress, rejected the call for a normalisation committee. They argued that the Congress could resolve the leadership vacuum internally without external intervention.

Speaking on behalf of the state FAs, Gombe State FA chairman Yakubu Sarma said:
“The key issue we presented before FIFA as Congress members representing the FAs is that Nigerian football is not in crisis… Our leagues are on, our clubs are playing their continental matches, our girls are playing international football and the NFF Secretariat is functioning. We don’t need to go outside the established framework to start bringing about a solution.”
However, another source indicated that FIFA might still favour a normalisation committee in line with its statutes.

Adding to the pressure, a group of former NFF presidents and general secretaries has petitioned FIFA and CAF to immediately set up a six-month normalisation committee to overhaul the federation’s administration.

The petition was signed by ex-presidents Sani Lulu Abdullahi and Aminu Maigari, former first vice-president Obinna Ogba, and former general secretaries Fanny Amun, Sani Toro, Bolaji Ojo-Oba and Musa Amadu.

The group proposed a phased roadmap starting with stakeholder consultations, followed by local football council elections, state FA elections, an expanded NFF Congress, and finally national NFF elections. They also called for a reform of the Congress structure to reduce the dominance of state FAs and give more voice to leagues, players, coaches, referees and grassroots football.

They stressed that a mere change of personnel would not solve Nigerian football’s problems and urged FIFA and CAF to use the mission to create a binding and transparent governance framework.

The findings of the mission are expected to determine the future leadership structure and reform process for the NFF.

Source: Punch Newspapers –