By Ghazali Ibrahim
FIFA and the Confederation of African Football have suspended the Nigeria Football Federation’s electoral process indefinitely amid the crisis rocking the country’s football governing body.
The decision affects the NFF elective congress scheduled for September 27, with the international football authorities directing that the existing structure be maintained while they assess the situation.
The move followed the mass resignation of key NFF executive board members on August 27, which plunged the federation into a leadership crisis.
FIFA Chief Member Associations Officer, Elkhan Mammadov, reportedly conveyed the decision in a formal letter to the relevant Nigerian authorities.
A joint FIFA-CAF fact-finding delegation is expected in Nigeria to engage stakeholders and investigate the circumstances surrounding the crisis.
The development comes after Nigerian officials held discussions with FIFA representatives in Zurich on possible reforms to the country’s football administration.
Although reports had suggested that a transitional committee could be established to steer the federation through the crisis, FIFA has reportedly made it clear that no final agreement has been reached.
Instead, the world football governing body is expected to hold further consultations in Abuja before determining the next steps.
The crisis, initially linked to the poor performances of Nigeria’s national teams, has widened following reports of investigations into the alleged mismanagement of about ₦17bn in government funds meant for national team wages and player bonuses.
FIFA and CAF are also expected to examine concerns over possible third-party interference in the administration of the NFF.
For now, the September 27 elective congress has been put on hold as FIFA and CAF seek to establish the facts and determine a way forward for Nigerian football.
