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By Joe Apu
Football critic and stakeholder, Harrison Jalla has raised alarm on a fresh controversy emerging around the governance of Nigerian football alleging a coordinated effort by the 37 State Football Association (FA) chairmen to entrench a power structure he describes as fundamentally flawed and self-serving.
According to Jalla, investigations by stakeholders indicate that strategies being deployed ahead of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) elections, expected in September 2026, are aimed at preserving an electoral system that excludes other federating units and private sector interests. Sources familiar with the process say the planned election may be premature, as Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/2021—challenging the legality of the 2022 NFF elections—remains unresolved.
Documents reviewed show that despite a Presidential directive issued on 17 June 2022 and a subsisting court order, the NFF proceeded with its September 2022 elections. Jalla argues that the exercise, which produced the current leadership, was conducted in defiance of legal and executive authority and reinforced what he described as a structurally imbalanced governance framework.
He warns that unless sweeping reforms are implemented, the 2026 electoral process risks repeating the same alleged irregularities. “We are calling for an emergency congress made up of equal representation from all five NFF federating units to overhaul the federation’s statutes.” According to Jalla, such reforms must ensure parity in representation across the NFF Board, Congress, and all standing and ad-hoc committees.
Legal pressure on the federation is also intensifying. The contempt proceedings arising from the disputed electoral process are scheduled for hearing on 5 February 2026 at Federal High Court 4 in Abuja, a development observers say could significantly impact the timing and legitimacy of the next NFF elections.
