Chairman of the Benue State Football Association, Barrister Paul Edeh, has described Ibrahim Musa Gusau as an honourable man, saying the former Nigeria Football Federation president made the right decision by stepping aside despite his personal disagreement with the resignation.
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Edeh said he was not initially in support of Gusau leaving office, but believes the former NFF president ultimately took the right decision by choosing to resign in what he described as an honourable manner.
“Despite not being in support of the resignation of the former NFF president, I believe it was the right call,” Edeh said.
“Gusau is an honourable man for stepping away in an honourable manner.”
Gusau announced his resignation on Thursday at a World Press Conference in Abuja, bringing his three years and eleven months in office to an end, just 34 days before the expiration of his four-year mandate.
In his resignation speech, Gusau said his decision followed consultations with his family, friends and stakeholders in Nigerian football and was taken in the overriding interest of the country’s football.
“My resignation is intended to give way to a comprehensive and orderly reform process aimed at addressing the longstanding institutional, governance and developmental challenges confronting Nigerian football,” Gusau said.
Edeh’s position is notable because he has been closely involved with the NFF structure during Gusau’s administration. He served on the NFF Legal Committee and has also participated in the federation’s Congress activities.
The Benue FA chairman was also among those who had publicly supported Gusau’s leadership. In August, Edeh was reported to have been part of the North Central football administrators who backed Gusau’s bid for another term as NFF president.
That history makes his latest comments particularly significant.
Rather than using Gusau’s departure as an opportunity to criticise the former president, Edeh chose to recognise what he believes was the courage involved in voluntarily walking away from power.
He also insisted that Gusau’s tenure should not be judged exclusively through the prism of Nigeria’s recent qualification failures.
“Away from the missed qualifications, he has done well,” Edeh said.
Gusau himself highlighted several achievements during his final address, including renewed coaching education, greater stability in the domestic league calendar, improvements in refereeing and infrastructure projects such as the 68-room players’ hostel and new training pitches at the MKO Abiola National Stadium.
He also pointed to Nigeria’s silver and bronze medals at recent Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and the Super Falcons’ 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph.
The former NFF president, however, acknowledged that the failures of the national teams had contributed significantly to the pressure surrounding his administration.
The Super Eagles missed the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Super Falcons suffered the historic disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
For Edeh, however, those setbacks should not erase everything achieved during Gusau’s tenure.
The Benue FA chairman’s comments also underline the difficult road ahead for Nigerian football following the resignation of Gusau and the reported departure of other members of the NFF leadership.
Edeh has previously been involved in NFF decisions and governance processes, while also playing an active role in grassroots football development in Benue State.
His association has pushed competitions such as the Benue Governor’s Cup as part of efforts to strengthen football participation across the state.
With the former NFF president now out of office, the focus will inevitably shift towards the next phase of Nigerian football administration.
But Edeh believes Gusau should leave with his dignity intact.
For the Benue FA chairman, the resignation may have been painful and unexpected, but the manner in which Gusau chose to depart deserves respect.
And as Nigerian football prepares for another uncertain chapter, Edeh’s message is clear: Gusau may have left before the end of his tenure, but he believes the former NFF president should be remembered as a man who ultimately chose an honourable exit.
