FIFA yet to decide on NFF, to visit Nigeria

World football governing body FIFA says it is yet to reach a decision on the future of the Nigeria Football Federation following the resignation of its president, Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and other members of the Executive Committee.

In a letter addressed to the deputy general secretary of the NFF, Emmanuel Ikpeme, on Monday, FIFA, alongside the Confederation of African Football, said they are currently assessing the legal, governance, administrative and electoral implications of the developments within the NFF before deciding on the next steps.

Gusau led the mass resignations from the NFF on Thursday, August 27, following mounting scrutiny over the performances of Nigeria’s national and youth teams, particularly the failure of the senior men’s and women’s teams to qualify for their respective World Cups.

The resignations came just days before the planned September 27 NFF election, with the National Sports Commission stepping in to implement President Bola Tinubu’s call for action to address what he described as “repeated failures.”

A Nigerian delegation led by NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko subsequently met with FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, and other key officials at the FIFA House in Zurich, Switzerland, on September 1.

According to the letter on the issue, FIFA said it had not reached a decision despite the various communications it had received from stakeholders in Nigeria.

“We refer to the various communications recently received by FIFA and CAF concerning developments within the Nigeria Football Federation, including the notifications relating to the resignation of the NFF President, members of the Executive Committee and the General Secretary, as well as additional correspondence received from other football stakeholders in Nigeria,” FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer Elkhan Mammadov said in the letter.

“We also refer to the meeting held at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on 1 September between FIFA, CAF, the NFF administration and representatives from the Federal Government of Nigeria, during which the current situation of the NFF was discussed. FIFA and CAF are currently assessing the legal, governance, administrative and electoral implications arising from the current circumstances within the NFF.

“This assessment requires a careful review of the relevant facts, the applicable NFF regulatory framework and the positions communicated by the various stakeholders concerned. At this stage, FIFA and CAF have not reached any conclusions regarding the matters under review and no determination has been made with respect to any potential next steps”, the international football body’s statement read.

The development puts the constitution of a normalisation committee on hold, with FIFA and CAF yet to determine the appropriate course of action.

Ikpeme, who was endorsed by the NSC as the acting General Secretary of the NFF, was, however, addressed by FIFA as the Deputy General Secretary in its correspondence and directed him to serve as the primary point of contact between the NFF, FIFA and CAF until further notice.

FIFA also directed the suspension of the planned September 27 elections, stressing that the decision did not validate any of the current circumstances within the NFF but was necessary to allow FIFA and CAF to complete their assessment and engage with the relevant stakeholders.

As part of the process, FIFA and CAF delegations will visit Abuja to meet with the NFF, members of the Congress, the NFF electoral bodies and the National Sports Commission.

“The mission will allow FIFA and CAF to better understand the circumstances surrounding the recent developments within the NFF, the views of the various stakeholders and any issues that may require further consideration under the applicable FIFA, CAF and NFF regulatory framework.

“Following completion of this assessment process, FIFA and CAF will determine whether any recommendations or proposals should be submitted to the competent decision-making bodies within FIFA and CAF in accordance with their respective Statutes and regulations.

“Until such time, the outcome of the assessment remains open, and no assumptions should be made as to any action that FIFA and CAF may or may not take”, FIFA concluded.