A former chairman of the House of Representative Committee on Sports, Hon. Godfrey Gaiya has described as ‘beautiful nonsense’ the persistent calls by stakeholders for the enactment of the Nigeria Football Federation Act for effective administration of the sport.
Most Nigerians believe if there are enabling laws, the game of football would develop faster in the country.
Therefore, a Bill for an Act to repeal the Nigeria Football Association Act and enact the Nigeria Football Federation Act (“NFF Act”) has been passed by the National Assembly.
The proponents of the proposed bill believe that if signed into law, the NFF Act will set football in Nigeria on a path for greatness as the Nigerian Football Federation (“NFF”) will be able to function effectively and independent of government interference.
However, the former lawmaker from Kaduna State in this interview with Daily Trust said Nigerian football does not need any new law or Act for it to grow.
“We don’t need a law to govern football in Nigeria. There is no new law that will come and say we should be anti-FIFA.
“There is no football law that will be anti-CAF. If we are reporting to FIFA and trying to do things in line with international best practices and we are coming back to the government to give us laws to govern the sport, then something is wrong somewhere. If we do, Nigeria will be expelled. So what other law do you want?.
“Even if there is going to be a law, it will be a one sentence law. Nigeria hereby adopted and enacted the law to govern NFF in accordance with FIFA and CAF statues. That will be all.
“We cannot pretend to be waiting for what does not really matter, if we do so, we are being insincere and we are not serious.”
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