In a surprise move, the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN) has started combing the South-West region for the next president of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The Ibrahim Gusau-led NFF board marked its one-year in office at the 79th yearly general assembly on September 9 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
But sources at the PFAN, Monday, said some of its key members are working with some influential Nigerians to choose a new NFF president when Gusau’s four-year tenure expires in 2026.
Tidesports source reports that the body already picked the Southwest zone to produce the next NFF president in 2026, while the position would move to the Southeast in 2030.
“As things stand, there is no way we will allow the Ibrahim Gusau-led board to seek a second tenure in office. Nothing has changed since he came on board, and it is obvious he wants to continue with the hegemony of the states’ FA chairmen, who are running a skewed administrative structure. It is killing our football.
“We are looking at the southwest to produce the next NFF president because the zone has been shut out of the position since early 2000. In fact, the last person from the southwest to occupy the position was Kojo Williams. After the southwest zone, we will shift focus to the southeast,” the source said.
Contacted on the issue, yesterday, the Chairman, PFAN Task Force, Harrison Jalla, said: “We have started consultations with stakeholders already. The issue of looking at the Southwest zone to produce the next NFF president is not far from the truth. The North has been producing the president of the NFF. The Southsouth also had its share. Since the exit of Kojo Williams in early 2000, the Southwest has not occupied the position.
“There are some intelligent football administrators from the Southwest zone, and what we are doing now is to keep a tab on them. From the way things are going, the Ibrahim Gusau-led NFF board won’t take our football anywhere. We have to call a spade a spade.”
The Guardian recalls that Jalla had tagged the NFF’s 79th AGM held in Uyo, on September 9, a mere ‘tea party,’ following its alleged failure to address some key issues affecting football development in the country.