Former Nigeria internationals Segun Odegbami and Peterside Idah have urged a new direction for the country’s football administration after Ibrahim Musa Gusau resigned as Nigeria Football Federation president.
Quick facts
- Gusau has stepped down as NFF president.
- Odegbami says the departure opens the way for administrative reform.
- Idah claims he should become the federation’s “authentic president”.
Odegbami views Gusau’s voluntary departure as the removal of a significant barrier to restructuring Nigerian football’s leadership.
The former Super Eagles captain also believes the resignation may ease fears of FIFA punishment linked to outside involvement in the federation’s affairs.
“With his resignation, the FIFA ban issue is gone, and we now have the chance to put right everything we have been raising concerns about,” Odegbami said.
He added that the change gives football stakeholders an opening to confront the longstanding problems affecting the running of the sport in Nigeria.
Idah, a former Super Eagles goalkeeper, has made a more direct claim, saying he should assume office as the NFF’s “authentic president”.
Having stood in the NFF presidential election, Idah argues that his position in that contest places him next in succession after Gusau’s resignation.
That claim is likely to intensify the debate over the federation’s immediate leadership and the constitutional steps required after Gusau and members of his Executive Committee left their positions.
