FIFA has not approved an interim administration for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after raising concerns about alleged government interference in the federation’s affairs.
The world football governing body is considering sending a delegation to Nigeria to investigate the situation.
Any decision on the make-up of an interim board is expected to come only after FIFA has met football stakeholders in the country.
For now, FIFA listened to the views and submissions put forward by the Nigerian delegation without reaching a final decision.
A person familiar with the discussions said FIFA was troubled by claims that NFF officials had been pressured into resigning only weeks before a fresh election was due to take place.
The same source said FIFA regarded the National Sports Commission (NSC) as an improper presence in the matter, arguing that the commission has no authority over the NFF.
“FIFA was dissatisfied with the NSC’s alleged involvement in NFF affairs, which appears to conflict with the federation’s statutes,” the source said.
“Rather than immediately approve an interim NFF board, FIFA chose to establish what had happened by consulting stakeholders and examining possible solutions instead of imposing board members without further investigation. FIFA was particularly concerned about the reasons NFF officials resigned just weeks before another election. It could not understand why Nigeria had failed to follow its own statutes.”
A second source also confirmed FIFA’s position.
“Instead of backing the immediate creation of an interim administration, FIFA decided to dispatch a delegation to Nigeria to assess the situation directly and hold discussions with the appropriate football stakeholders,” the source said.
“The planned mission should give FIFA a better picture of the circumstances behind the NFF’s current deadlock, especially after the mass departures from the Gusau-led NFF Executive Committee.
“Once the assessment and consultations have been completed in Nigeria, FIFA is expected to work with the relevant parties on a roadmap aimed at ending the crisis and re-establishing stability within the NFF.”
“FIFA, as the global authority for association football, operates under a defined system based on its Statutes and other applicable regulations.
“The running and governance of member associations must therefore be handled in line with those rules and principles.
“As a result, any settlement of the current NFF dispute will ultimately need to comply with FIFA’s Statutes, regulations and recognised governance processes.”
The source warned that reports claiming FIFA has already endorsed or ratified an interim NFF board, including its proposed membership, are premature and should be approached carefully.
“More information is expected after FIFA’s proposed visit to Nigeria and its discussions with the relevant stakeholders,” the source added.
