Former member of the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Barrister Austel Elumelu, has expressed strong doubts over the credibility and effectiveness of the NFF’s petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for allegedly fielding ineligible players during the World Cup play-off matches against Nigeria.
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Speaking on the issue, Elumelu questioned the legal basis of the petition, stressing that the players in question were already cleared by FIFA before representing the DRC.
“These players were cleared by FIFA to play for DR Congo in the first place. That is a very important point,” Elumelu said.
He explained that relying on provisions of a country’s constitution or internal laws may not carry much weight with the world football governing body.
“Citing the constitution of a country as evidence may not mean much to FIFA. FIFA operates based on its own statutes and regulations,” he added.
Elumelu warned that Nigeria’s case could struggle to gain traction internationally, especially if FIFA had already approved the eligibility of the players before the fixtures.
“Once FIFA clears a player, overturning that decision is extremely difficult unless there is overwhelming new evidence,” he noted.
The former NFF technical committee member also criticised the federation’s approach, suggesting the petition appears to be a reaction to failure rather than a solid legal challenge.
“It looks like Nigeria is clutching at straws because we failed to qualify, while other countries did,” Elumelu stated.
He stressed that the focus should be on addressing the structural and technical shortcomings that led to Nigeria’s inability to secure qualification in the first place.
“Instead of chasing petitions, the NFF should be asking why Nigeria couldn’t qualify on merit,” he said.
Elumelu added that repeated failures to qualify for major tournaments point to deeper issues within Nigerian football.
“This is not an isolated incident. There are systemic problems that need to be fixed,” he warned.
While acknowledging the frustration felt by Nigerians, Elumelu urged realism and accountability.
“We must be honest with ourselves. Legal battles will not fix football problems,” he concluded.
As FIFA reviews the petition, Elumelu’s comments highlight growing debate over whether Nigeria’s focus should remain on off-field challenges, or on rebuilding credibility and competitiveness on the pitch.
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