FIFA endorses Nigeria football reforms after NFF leadership vacuum, official says

FIFA has endorsed Nigeria’s proposed reforms of its football administration after the resignation of the Nigeria Football Federation’s entire board and general secretary, National Sports Commission chairman Shehu Dikko said on Friday. Dikko made the disclosure to ARISE NEWS after meeting officials of FIFA and the Confederation of African Football in Switzerland. He said the mass resignation had created a leadership gap because the NFF rulebook did not provide for a situation in which no legally recognised leadership remained.

According to Dikko, the Nigerian government presented FIFA with proposals for a comprehensive reform of the country’s football structures. He said the proposals reflected concerns raised by stakeholders and that FIFA agreed both that reform was necessary and that the resignation should be accepted. Dikko stressed, however, that any changes would have to follow the applicable rules and procedures.

He said FIFA was prepared to accommodate the reforms through the proper process. He added that FIFA could create a normalisation committee to supervise the process. Such a committee, he said, would be appointed by FIFA, operate under defined terms of reference and deadlines, and could remain in place for between six months and one year depending on the reforms agreed with stakeholders.

Dikko said committee members would have to be independent of the NFF electoral process. Participants would be barred from contesting an election or joining the NFF for a specified period, he said, while the committee would report directly to FIFA and consult the Nigerian government. FIFA would also pay its members, according to Dikko.

Consultations have already begun with members of the NFF Congress, who have received the government’s reform document for comment. Dikko said FIFA would later conduct an on-site visit to Nigeria. Proposed changes include rebuilding the electoral code and introducing a system under which candidates would declare their full teams before voters choose between them.