A former chairman of the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, has cautioned members of the present board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to resist the temptation to perpetuate themselves in office.
The Patron of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC) was speaking against the backdrop of the seeming reluctance by the Amaju Pinnick led Executive Committee of the NFF to conduct fresh elections.
Gauff overcomes serving gaffes to reach Toronto quarterfinals
Morocco fire coach three months before World Cup
It would be recalled that even the Federal Government had to advise the NFF leadership to ensure that election into the federation’s board is held unfailingly in September.
Although the NFF had failed to respond immediately to the advice, reports have emerged that the Annual General Assembly of the football governing body will finally be held on August 16 in Bayelsa, Yenagoa and the 2022 NFF election will be top on the agenda.
Galadima in an exclusive interview with Daily Trust said it was encouraging to know that the NFF leadership has finally listened to the advice by the government and other stakeholders.
“We just heard that notice for congress is out. They have fixed the Annual General Assembly (AGM) for August 16 which means they are following the advice of the Federal Government and other concerned Nigerians.
“What the government did was to advise which some people misunderstood or misinterpreted to mean interference.
“When they get to the congress, they can decide what they want. It is this foot dragging that is making Nigerians suspicious of their intentions.
“They knew about the September election deadline as far back as 2018 when the last elections were held in Katsina State, so there is no excuse for what is happening.
“I hope they will realise that other people were there before them. If they had stayed put, there wouldn’t have been the opportunity for them to be in such positions now. People come and go and that’s how others also get the chance to lead,” said Galadima.
The Chairman of Kano State Sports Commission, therefore, said the fate of Nigerian football is now in the hands of the congressmen.
“The congressmen know exactly the present state of Nigerian football so they should know what to do.
“Elections in Nigeria are now becoming more transparent and peaceful and if the NFF election that involves a few people is poorly done, it will be quite shameful,” he concluded.
