FIFA accepts NFF mass resignations, backs NSC-led reform

World football governing body FIFA on Tuesday accepted the resignations of the principal officers of the Nigeria Football Federation and pledged to continue engaging with the Nigerian government, the NFF administration and the Confederation of African Football on a new roadmap for comprehensive reforms of Nigerian football, the NFF has said.

A Nigerian delegation led by National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko, and including NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade, acting NFF general secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme and NFF Director of Legal Services Okey Obi, met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and other key officials on Tuesday at the FIFA House in Zurich, Switzerland.

According to a statement issued by NFF acting deputy general secretary Dr Ademola Olajire, FIFA backed the proposed reforms of Nigerian football.

“At a meeting inside FIFA House in Zurich, Switzerland, attended by FIFA, CAF, CAF advisors, NSC and NFF Administration, it was agreed to proceed with engagements and interactions to fine-tune a roadmap that will ensure the delivery of the expected reforms both in the short, medium and long term, and to ensure that an inclusive new NFF emerges going forward, with an enabling environment that is peaceful and stable to deliver success both on and off the pitch for the benefit and growth of Nigerian football,” the statement read.

The statement also quoted Dikko as assuring stakeholders that the reforms were gong to be thorough in accordance with the relevant rules, regulations and statutes.

“Mutual engagement among the National Sports Commission, the NFF administration and the Confederation of African Football is ongoing with FIFA on the comprehensive reforms of Nigerian football, including agreeing a roadmap going forward in accordance with the relevant rules, regulations and statutes, and indeed there is no doubt Nigerian football will emerge much better and properly structured after the conclusion of this process,” Dikko said.

The meeting with FIFA followed the mass resignation of the NFF board and President Bola Tinubu’s call for action to address what he described as “repeated failures”.

An interim board has been appointed to lead the NFF after its president, Ibrahim Gusau, general secretary Mohammed Sanusi and the 11 other members of the executive committee resigned, leaving a power vacuum at the top of the country’s football administration.

Ikpeme, who previously served as deputy general secretary, has been appointed interim general secretary, while Olajire, who headed the NFF’s media and communications department, will serve as interim deputy general secretary.

Gusau, whose tenure was due to expire in September, confirmed his resignation during a news conference in Abuja last Thursday.

The NFF had faced mounting scrutiny over the performances of Nigeria’s national and youth teams, particularly the failure of the senior men’s and women’s teams to qualify for their respective World Cups.

Beyond results on the pitch, the federation has also faced questions over governance and financial management.(Punch)