The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that world football governing body FIFA has formally accepted the resignations of its former principal officers and members of the federation’s Executive Committee. This development follows the mass resignation of the Ibrahim Gusau-led Board of the NFF after intense pressure from the public.
In response to the crisis, President Bola Tinubu ordered a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football, describing the situation as a national emergency. The National Sports Commission (NSC) subsequently proposed establishing a “normalisation committee” to oversee reforms and organise fresh elections for a new NFF board.
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However, a Vanguard report indicates that FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his team have yet to give outright approval for the proposed normalisation committee. Instead, FIFA is planning to visit Nigeria and will be heavily involved in the selection process of committee members. Sources suggest the committee could operate for three months to one year. Leading candidate to head the committee is AbdulHakeem Uthman Mustapha, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and member of FIFA’s Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Committee.
In a statement, the NFF dismissed a purported letter circulating in the media as “totally fake”, clarifying that mutual engagement between the NSC, NFF administration and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is ongoing with FIFA to agree on a roadmap for reforms.
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