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Football stakeholders under the aegis of the Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Concepts have strongly rejected the proposed amendments to the statutes of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), describing the process as a “charade” and vowing to challenge its legitimacy.
The group, led by its Chairman, Prince Harrison Jalla, condemned the outcome of the recent congress held in Yenagoa, alleging that State Football Association chairmen manipulated proceedings to consolidate control within the federation.
In a strongly worded statement, Jalla criticized what he termed “cosmetic amendments,” insisting that they fail to address fundamental governance issues within Nigerian football. He, however, commended Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, for what he described as a “brilliant and timely intervention” during the congress.
The group further accused FA chairmen of expanding the congress structure while retaining voting dominance, warning that such actions undermine transparency and accountability in the administration of the sport.
“We will not allow Nigerian football to be run in this old-fashioned way any longer,” the statement read, adding that stakeholders are prepared to escalate the matter through public advocacy and legal channels if necessary.
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The group also referenced a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal, which reportedly set aside the NFF election held on September 30, 2022, arguing that the current leadership lacks legitimacy.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the performance of the current board, the stakeholders blamed what they described as “years of poor leadership” for Nigeria’s failure to qualify for recent FIFA World Cups, and called for the dissolution of the existing board led by NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
They urged the federal government to intervene decisively in order to restore credibility to the sport, warning that continued inaction could deepen the crisis in Nigerian football administration.
“The decisions taken in Bayelsa are of no consequence and cannot stand,” the statement concluded, while reaffirming their commitment to pursue the matter through judicial processes.
