The leadership of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is set to dispatch a delegation to Nigeria to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) before taking any decision on the proposed Interim Board.
The move follows the mass resignation of the entire NFF board last week, including former President Ibrahim Gusau and General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi. The vacuum created by their exit led to the appointment of Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme as Acting General Secretary.
—NSC Leads Delegation To Zurich For Approval—
In response to the leadership vacuum, the National Sports Commission (NSC) is considering constituting a Harmonization Committee to pilot the affairs of the NFF pending the election of a new board.
To seek FIFA’s backing, NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, led a high-powered delegation to FIFA Headquarters in Zurich on Tuesday.
Members of the delegation included NSC Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade; former NFF President and ex-FIFA Council Member, Amaju Pinnick; NFF Acting General Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme; NFF Director of Legal Services, Okey Obi; CAF 2nd Vice President, Kurt-Okraku; and FIFA’s Director of Member Associations (Africa), Gelson Fernandes.
The team briefed FIFA officials on the situation in Nigeria and sought approval to immediately constitute the proposed Harmonization Committee.
—FIFA Withholds Approval, Opts For Fact-Finding Visit—
However, Prompt News gathered that FIFA declined to endorse the immediate formation of an interim committee. Instead, the world football body resolved to send its own delegation to Nigeria for a direct assessment.
According to sources in Zurich, the FIFA delegation will hold consultations with relevant football stakeholders in Nigeria to get a clearer understanding of the circumstances surrounding the mass resignation of the NFF board members.
“It is important to emphasise that FIFA, as the world governing body for association football, operates within a clearly defined regulatory framework governed by its Statutes and other applicable regulations,” a source told Prompt News.
“Matters relating to the administration and governance of member associations are therefore expected to be addressed strictly in accordance with these established rules and principles. Consequently, the resolution of the current situation within the NFF will ultimately have to conform to FIFA’s Statutes, regulations and established governance procedures.”
—Tinubu Orders Comprehensive Reform Of Nigerian Football—
The development comes weeks after President Bola Tinubu directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football.
In a statement by Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said “The reform must respond to a longstanding need to strengthen governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability across Nigerian football.”
President Tinubu also directed the NSC to work with the NFF Secretariat and relevant football stakeholders to ensure continuity in essential football administration and facilitate a broad, consultative reform process.
With FIFA’s intervention now imminent, all eyes will be on the outcome of the delegation’s visit and how it shapes the roadmap for new elections and governance reforms at the NFF.
[Original story source: Prompt News]
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