FOLLOWING the crisis brewing Nigeria’s football as a result of the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for this year’s FIFA World Cup, and Super Falcons’ inability to secure a place at next year’s Women’s World Cup, which has led to the sacking of the entire technical crew, the Senate Committee on Sports on Wednesday, August 19, held an emergency meeting with the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, and President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
The meeting, chaired by Chairman of the Committee on Sports, Abdul Ningi, at his office in Abuja, following concerns regarding Nigeria’s recent failures in international football and growing calls for the sack of the NFF Board, even as election of a new Board earlier scheduled for September has been postponed.
Ningi said the meeting was convened at the request of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who expressed concern about the state of Nigerian sports, particularly football, noting that the meeting would help the committee prepare its report to the senate when lawmakers resume next month.
He stated: “I have the authority of the Senate President on this very important meeting. He recently asked me, ‘Senator Ningi, what is happening in sports, what is happening in football?’
“This meeting was a preamble to the explanation I will offer the senate when it reconvenes next month on the state of sports and, in particular, football in Nigeria today and steps being taken to reposition it for better results.”
Ningi disclosed that one of the major issues discussed was the strained relationship between the NSC and the NFF, urging both institutions to work together to restore confidence in Nigerian football, saying: “I called them to close ranks, that is, the Nigerian Football Federation and the National Sports Commission, because as it is today, they are wide apart.”
Ningi said the senate was concerned that Nigeria’s football teams had continued to struggle, despite increased government support, recalling that President Bola Tinubu had provided financial incentives to players and officials and also increased funding for the sports sector, wondering: “What more will you need from a nation that is battling with the lives of over 220 million Nigerians?”
He added: “I’ve also seen that the President has almost quadrupled the budget of the sports ministry,” saying the failure of the Super Eagles to reach the World Cup was painful, and the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the female tournament had further deepened concerns about the state of Nigerian football.
Despite calls by some football stakeholders for the disbandment or restructuring of the current NFF Board, Ningi said the senate would not take any action outside the law, noting: “Whatever action we must do, we must do it within the limits of the law. We must look at our laws and we must also look at the FIFA statutes.”
