FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have begun assessing the leadership crisis within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), with governance, legal and electoral issues among the key areas under review.
The FIFA and CAF delegation began its engagements in Abuja on Monday, meeting National Sports Commission chairman Shehu Dikko and representatives of the NFF’s federating units.
The discussions took place at the Abuja Continental Hotel following the mass resignation of NFF president Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and other board members on August 27.
The leadership shake-up came amid growing concerns over the performances of Nigeria’s national teams, including the failure of the senior men’s and women’s teams to qualify for their respective World Cups.
The visiting delegation includes FIFA Member Association Governance Services team lead Ahmed Harraz, FIFA Head of Member Association Governance Rolf Tanner, FIFA Regional Office for West Africa lead El Hadj Wack Diop and CAF Legal Manager Nnaemeka Olu.
Dikko initially held discussions with the FIFA and CAF officials, outlining the government’s proposed reform agenda for the Nigerian sports sector before other members of the NFF Congress joined the meeting.
DailyInsightNG understands that the assessment is expected to cover the circumstances behind the NFF board resignations, possible governance reforms, the federation’s statutes and the electoral framework.
The officials are also expected to examine proposals for a new timetable for an elective congress and determine the extent of government involvement in resolving the crisis.
The NFF statutes have been a major point of contention among stakeholders seeking a more inclusive structure for the federation. Questions surrounding the composition of the NFF Congress and the electoral process are also expected to feature prominently during the engagements.
FIFA and CAF are expected to consult relevant stakeholders as they seek to identify a lawful and acceptable path towards restoring a functioning NFF Congress and resolving the leadership dispute.
The issue has attracted particular attention because disagreements over NFF elections and governance have repeatedly created controversy around previous electoral cycles.
.
advertisement
FIFA had said last week that it had not reached any decision despite receiving several communications from stakeholders in Nigeria. The global football body said the assessment mission would have to be completed before any recommendations could be considered by its decision-making bodies.
In a letter sent to the NFF, FIFA said the mission would help the two governing bodies understand the circumstances surrounding the recent developments, hear the positions of stakeholders and identify issues requiring further consideration under the applicable FIFA, CAF and NFF regulations.
FIFA also stressed that no assumptions should be made about possible sanctions, recommendations or other measures before the assessment is completed.
The outcome of the process could therefore determine the next steps for the NFF, including the proposed governance reforms, the future leadership structure and the process for organising a new elective congress.