Odegbami Leads Ex-Players Planned Take-Over Of NFF

Former Eagles captain Segun Odegbami is at the vanguard of former internationals who, in Lagos, declared their intention to take over the administration of the game in the country.

Odegbami is running for President of the Nigeria Football Federation, and led a posse of ex-players to a declaration gathering at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos over the weekend.

“The future of Nigerian football will be better served by those who understand the game and have played it,” Odegbami said.

“We are ready to fight this cause. To use all that we have at our disposal to get to the place, even if it means contesting the Statutes. If anything goes wrong with the election, we will challenge it anywhere.”

Odegbami’s previous attempts at the Glass House have been thwarted, and the 1980 Nations Cup winner insisted that the time had come to rid the administration of the game from people whose intention is to enrich themselves.

Also presented for election by the ex internationals were 1980 Nations Cup winning captain Christian Chukwu, immediate past captain Austin Okocha and former midfielder Mutiu Adepoju.

Backing their candidacies, former striker Victor Ikpeba said Nigeria must follow the path towed by other countries.

“We say clearly here that Nigerian players have come of age. They have paid their dues. Football is their game. They must be an integral part of its administration in order for the game to move on to the next level. That is the practice in other parts of the developed football world that have thrown up the likes of Michel Platini, Ben Kofie, Salif Keita, Franz Beckenbauer and Kalusha Bwalya,” Ikpeba said.

“Nigerian footballers remain the country’s best international ambassadors. Yet, no Nigerian ex-international player has ever headed any major aspect of football administration in the country.”

The elections are scheduled to hold on August 21.