ODEGBAMI CALLS FOR SUSPENSION OF NFF ELECTIONS, URGES TINUBU TO INTERVENE

Former Nigerian international footballer and Sports Ambassador, Segun Odegbami, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians to halt the forthcoming Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) elections, arguing that fundamental issues surrounding the administration of Nigerian football need to be addressed first. �
Vanguard News
In a strongly worded intervention, Odegbami said Nigeria’s football development has continued to suffer from longstanding administrative and structural problems that require urgent attention.
He questioned aspects of the existing framework governing the NFF and expressed concern about the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.
According to Odegbami, conducting the election without resolving the underlying issues could further entrench problems within the administration of Nigerian football rather than provide the reforms the sport needs.
The football administrator and former Green Eagles star also raised questions about the relationship between the NFF, government and international football authorities, particularly the role of FIFA in Nigeria’s domestic football administration.
Odegbami argued that the Federal Government has a legitimate interest in the development of Nigerian football because it remains a major financier of sports and football infrastructure in the country.
He called for greater scrutiny of the electoral process, including the composition of the electorate and the procedures being used to select the next leadership of the football federation.
The former international further disclosed that he intends to present relevant documents and issues concerning Nigerian football before the Nigerian courts for proper interpretation and clarification.
He stressed that his appeal was not simply about stopping an election, but about addressing what he considers deeper institutional problems that have affected the growth and administration of football in Nigeria.
Odegbami therefore urged President Tinubu, the National Sports Commission, football stakeholders and Nigerians to consider temporarily suspending the election while the contentious issues are properly examined.
He maintained that Nigeria needs a football administration capable of developing the country’s enormous sporting talent, improving the domestic game and restoring confidence among football stakeholders.
Odegbami’s intervention comes as attention focuses on the forthcoming NFF elections and the future direction of football administration in Nigeria. �