By Chimezie Godfrey
Nigerian football is facing a deepening crisis, with veteran football administrator and journalist, Yakubu Ibn Mohammed, urging the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, to urgently intervene and halt the ongoing Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) electoral process.
In an open letter to Dikko, Ibn Mohammed described the state of Nigerian football as a “full collapse,” citing the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2022 and 2026 FIFA World Cups, the Super Falcons’ recent setbacks and the deteriorating condition of the domestic game.
According to him, the crisis extends to the domestic league, which he said is struggling with dwindling patronage, loss of sponsors and declining grassroots development.
Ibn Mohammed stressed that his intervention was not motivated by personal grievances against members of the current NFF board.
“I have nothing against any member of the present NFF board as individuals. I am a genuine stakeholder having paid my dues as a footballer, administrator and sports journalist,” he said.
He recalled his involvement in Nigerian football as a former player who featured alongside football icons, including Segun Odegbami, as well as his stints with Plateau Highlanders, Plateau Dynamos and Abakaliki White Angels.
He also cited his previous service on the boards of Football Associations in Plateau, Bauchi and Kaduna states, his involvement in the organisation of the Nigeria ’99 FIFA Under-20 World Cup and his experience as a journalist covering three World Cups, the Olympic Games, All Africa Games and Africa Cup of Nations.
The veteran stakeholder, however, accused successive NFF administrations of reducing Nigerian football to “politics, excuses and survival tactics.”
“Instead of results, we get press statements. Instead of development, we get manipulation,” he alleged.
He further expressed concern over the electoral guidelines for the forthcoming NFF election, alleging that the process had been designed to favour the continuation of the current leadership.
According to him, the number of delegates has been increased from 44 to 54, while state Football Associations still control between 56 and 59 per cent of the votes.
He also criticised Section 2.14 of the electoral guidelines, which he said requires candidates, except members of the current board seeking re-election, to undergo an integrity test covering criminal convictions, court sanctions and FIFA ethics findings.
Ibn Mohammed described the provision as unfair and called for a review of the electoral framework.
He urged the NSC chairman to suspend the electoral process and initiate an independent review of the NFF’s administration and finances.
He also called for the adoption of inclusive electoral guidelines that would give genuine stakeholders, including former internationals, clubs, coaches and supporters, a stronger voice in the administration of the game.
The veteran journalist further urged the NSC to champion urgent reforms in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), grassroots football and women’s football.
“ We have been great before. We won the Olympics in 1996 and age-group World Cups. We dominated Africa. We produced world-class players. We can do it again — but only with a clean slate and the right leadership,” he said.
Ibn Mohammed appealed to Dikko to use his position to restore confidence in Nigerian football, stressing that the game remains a unifying force for millions of Nigerians.
“Chairman Dikko, you have the power to act. Rise to the occasion and go down in history as the man who saved Nigerian football,” he said.
He concluded with a call for immediate action, declaring: “The time for meetings is over. The time for action is NOW.”
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