President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come out with a sweeping verdict that Nigeria’s football aspirations continue suffering from various setbacks due to ‘structural deficits.’
Sports247 reports that President Tinubu’s verdict came in the wake of mass resignation of the executive committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), led by Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
In reaction to the historic development, which took place on Thursday afternoon in Abuja, Tinubu charged top brass of the National Sports Commission (NSC) to liase with secretariat staff of the NFF in charting a fresh course for the revival of Nigerian football.
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The president’s charge is contained in a press release signed by his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, which also revealed that Tinubu had directed urgent and comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s football structure.
Tinubu declared, “The reform must respond to a longstanding need to strengthen governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability across Nigerian football.
“Football, Nigeria’s most popular sport and the greatest beneficiary of public support, investment and national attention, has continued to struggle basically due to structural deficits within the system.”
Tinubu added that Nigerian football must begin to match the country’s exceptional talent, passion and resources with stronger institutions and sustained performance.
Sports247 gathered further that, following the resignations of Gusau and the NFF’s erstwhile scribe, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, the NSC has endorsed Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme as interim general-secretary, while Dr Ademola Olajire will serve as interim deputy general-secretary.
