THE Congress of the Nigeria Football Federation has approved and inaugurated a committee to review the body’s 2010 statutes.
After the General Assembly of the governing body in Benin City on Sunday night, they resolved to back the Executive Committee’s proposal to have the statutes reviewed, without identifying which of the over 80 articles needs amending.
“The Congress approved a proposal by the Executive Committee for the commencement of the process for amendment of the 2010 Statutes of the Nigeria Football Federation,” reads a part of the communique published by the NFF after the General Assembly.
“Following from the above, the General Assembly approved the composition of a Statutes Amendment Committee thus: Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi (Chairman); Mallam Shehu Dikko (Vice Chairman); Alh. Ibrahim Musa Gusau (Member); Mazi Amanze Uchegbulam (Member); Alh. Ahmed Yusuf Fresh (Member); Ms Aisha Falode (Member); Alh. Babagana Kalli (Member); Mr. Kenneth Nwamuocha (Member) and; Dr. Mohammed Sanusi (Secretary). The Committee was immediately sworn in by the President of NFF and FIFA Council Member, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick.
“The Congress passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation, and specially congratulated the President of NFF, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, on his election into the FIFA Council – the highest decision –making organ in world football.”
The next NFF election is scheduled for September 2022 but there are strong indications that the present board, which is in its second term, is plotting to shift the election until 2023 in order to oversee the Super Eagles at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Normally, NFF elections are held in the men’s World Cup years, after the competition.
However, Qatar’s case is unique as the competition will be staged in November and December due to weather conditions, meaning the NFF election will be held before the tournament.
If the statutes are amended and the changes approved, the Pinnick-led board would most likely benefit from the changes, which are expected to include the election schedule.
The General Assembly observed a one-minute silence in honour of the late former boss of the body, Brigadier-General Dominic Oneya, who died last week.
Prior to the General Assembly, the NFF executive committee also met in Benin City on Sunday where they resolved to recommend the review of the ‘obsolete’ 2010 statute to the Congress.
“In view of the significant changes and disruptions to the way football (as well as other areas of life) is administered and organized globally in the past few years, made more poignant by the global coronavirus pandemic that threw the world into jeopardy at the beginning of year 2020 and still wreaking havoc, and the glaring obsoleteness of the current NFF Statutes, the Executive Committee resolved to forward a proposal to the Congress for approval of the commencement of the process for amendment of the NFF Statutes,” a part of their communique States .
“The Executive Committee resolved, in view of the high importance of Nigeria’s qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar, that all strands, threads and patterns must be put in their right places and complemented with hard work to ensure the Super Eagles have a successful qualifying campaign even before the race starts next month.”
The executive committee also ordered the appeals committee to fast track the case involving Rivers United and Jigawa Golden Stars, which has a direct impact on Nigeria’s representation in continental club competitions.
“Given the importance of forwarding to the Confederation of African Football the names of Nigeria’s four representatives in the next CAF Club Competitions, the Committee ordered that the NFF Appeals Committee must meet immediately to dispense with the appeal lodged by Jigawa Golden Stars FC and Kwara United FC against the decision of the NFF Disciplinary Committee at its sitting of Thursday, 5th August which favoured Rivers United FC,” the communique adds.
The NFF disciplinary committee last week awarded three points and three goals to Rivers United for a disputed Nigeria Professional Football League match which Jigawa Golden Stars had won 2-1.
The verdict overturned the League Management Company’s ruling, which had dismissed Rivers United’s case.
The three points propelled Rivers United to second place in the NPFL and handed them a spot in the CAF Champions League, dislodging Enyimba to the CAF Confederation Cup and Kwara United out of continental places.
