Gusau asks FIFA to block Nigerian government move against NFF

Nigeria Football Federation president Ibrahim Musa Gusau has asked FIFA to intervene after the Nigerian government authorised steps to remove the federation’s board. The government has instructed the National Sports Commission to establish an interim body to run Nigerian football.

The proposed arrangement would last for three months and would also stop the planned NFF election in September. Gusau had been preparing to contest the election with the aim of securing another four-year term, but the government’s decision has placed that plan under threat.

His appeal to FIFA is based on alleged government interference in the running of the football federation. Such intervention could expose Nigeria to a possible FIFA ban, since the world governing body maintains that national football associations should operate without government control.

The government’s action followed two major qualification failures by Nigeria’s senior national teams. The women’s team missed out on the Women’s World Cup for the first time, while the Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the World Cup.

Those setbacks prompted the government to direct the NSC to replace the NFF board with an interim management team. The instruction came after the latest failure by the women’s side, which occurred on Thursday.

The NSC has worked out a process it believes will avoid breaching FIFA’s position on government involvement. Gusau’s board has been told to resign voluntarily or face removal from office, leaving the federation’s leadership and the September election uncertain.