Jalla backs NSC intervention, urges full NFF governance overhaul

Prince Harrison Jalla has supported the National Sports Commission’s reported intervention in the Nigeria Football Federation’s electoral process, calling for a fundamental redesign of football governance rather than a change of individual office holders.

Jalla, who leads the Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reforms Initiative and the PFAN Task Force, said the existing arrangement has not delivered sufficient development over the past decade. He wants the NFF rebuilt around a system that gives all recognised federating interests a stronger and more balanced role.

His proposal is for Nigeria’s five NFF federating units to receive equal representation on the federation’s board and equal voting rights at Congress. Jalla had also called for an emergency congress with parity among the five units, extending the proposed changes to the NFF statutes, standing committees and wider electoral structure.

He has indicated that he would also support a normalisation committee if the NSC intervenes in the election process. Such a body, in his view, should do more than temporarily replace the current administration. It should review the statutes and create a governance framework capable of producing a more representative federation and credible elections.

The dispute comes as the NFF’s 2026 electoral process faces petitions and legal challenges over the legitimacy and fairness of its arrangements. Any government action also carries a FIFA dimension, because member associations are expected to operate independently from political authorities.

The governance debate has intensified during a difficult period for Nigerian football. The Super Eagles did not qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Super Falcons missed the 2027 Women’s World Cup for the first time. Jalla’s position is that those setbacks reinforce the need to address the structure administering the sport, not only the people currently holding office.