Dikko: FIFA Backs Nigeria’s Plan for Comprehensive Football Reforms
National Sports Commission chairman Shehu Dikko says FIFA has backed Nigeria’s plans for a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s football administration following the mass resignation of the Nigeria Football Federation leadership, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Dikko disclosed this during an interview with ARISE NEWS after meeting FIFA and Confederation of African Football officials in Switzerland to discuss the crisis and the proposed way forward.
The development followed the resignation of NFF president Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and other members of the federation’s Executive Committee on August 27.
FIFA subsequently accepted the resignations and agreed to continue engaging with the Nigerian government, the NFF administration and CAF on a roadmap for reforms. The NFF said the process would be developed in accordance with the relevant rules, regulations and statutes.
Dikko explained that the mass resignation created an unusual situation because the existing NFF statutes did not clearly provide for a situation in which there was no legally constituted leadership to run the federation.
“After the resignation of the entire board of the NFF and the General Secretary, naturally we have a lacuna, because there was no provision in the rulebook for situations like that, where we have nobody now to run the NFF legally within the rulebook.”
According to the NSC chairman, the government presented its reform proposals to FIFA, with the plans based partly on concerns raised by stakeholders over the structure and administration of Nigerian football.
“We told them, this is our position as a government. The government wants to undertake a comprehensive reform of the football structures in Nigeria, which is something that even FIFA knew has been on the cards for decades in Nigeria.
“So we discussed comprehensive proposals from the government, which are the issues that we think should be reformed, based on the concerns of the stakeholders, and we all agreed on that.”
Dikko said FIFA accepted the resignation of the NFF leadership and agreed that reforms were necessary, although he stressed that the process would have to follow the appropriate procedures.
“In short, FIFA endorsed the resignation, endorsed reform, agreed that the reform must happen, but it has to go through the proper process and the rulebooks, and they are ready to accommodate that.”
The discussions have also included the possibility of a FIFA-appointed normalisation committee to oversee the transition and reform process. Dikko said such a committee would be independent, have clearly defined terms of reference and operate within a specific timeframe.
Earlier in September, FIFA and CAF representatives visited Nigeria to assess the legal, governance, administrative and electoral implications of the NFF crisis. The delegation held meetings with Dikko, NFF officials and representatives of the federation’s various stakeholders.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino had also indicated after meeting the Nigerian delegation in Zurich that the world governing body was ready to work with Nigeria on strengthening the country’s football structures and development pathways.
The reform process comes amid increased scrutiny of Nigerian football following concerns over the administration and the performances of several national teams, including the failure of the senior men’s and women’s teams to qualify for their respective World Cups.
Nigeria’s football authorities and FIFA are now expected to continue consultations on the roadmap, with the aim of establishing a more inclusive and stable structure for the NFF and the wider administration of football in the country.
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