NFF boards from Maigari, Amaju to Gusau should be probed 

NFF boards from Maigari, Amaju to Gusau should be probed 

...Says vote of confidence in Gusau's NFF leadership expected 

By Mike Edwards Ndidi, 

Associate Editor 

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of Athletics and Others Sports Commission, an NGO that advocates for accountability and transparency in sports, Hon. Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe, has weighed in on the recently concluded Nigerian Football Federation Congress, where stakeholders passed a vote of confidence in their leadership.

Gombe, a sports entrepreneur and former Chairman of Gombe United Football Club, former Chairman of Gombe State Football Association, in this exclusive interview with www.sportsunlimited.ng stated that the vote of confidence passed on NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau and his team by the Congress in Yanegoa was not unexpected, saying it is their right to do so.

Management of football, sports in Nigeria

"I refrained in recent times in not talking about the management of Sports or Nigerian football generally.

First and foremost let me talk about the vote of confidence passed on the NFF leadership.

It is their right and normal to pass a vote of confidence.

It has a precedent, it is not a new thing.

To think that the vote of confidence passed on Gusau led NFF is the first one, no It is not.

Any offence the Gusau led NFF is said to have been  committed, it is 10 times less than what former NFF President, Amaju Pinnic committed"

A vote of confidence on Amaju led NFF was passed.

Why should people complain now?

There was precedence, every single thing the Gusau led NFF had done badly, the worst happened during Amaju Pinnic tenure and a vote of confidence was passed."

He said,  "recall that Amaju allegedly spent eight years destroying Nigerian football, mismanaging our money. When these things were happening, the man leading the National Sports Commission (NSC) today Mallam Shehu Dikko was Amaju vice president."

Is Dikko the right person to initiate reform?

Would there be any reform in Nigerian football with Shehu Dikko in charge?

Those saying the current NFF leadership should go for them to  bring another set of leadership, and I ask, where would they go to bring another set of NFF leadership to replace Gusau from? If Amaju can do eight years, Gusau also must finish eight years.

All we are doing now is recycling hypocrisy. People talking today, where were they when Amaju Pinnic was there? Gusau is also a Nigerian.

Mikel Obi's ethnicity cry

Gombe described himself as a non-sentimental person.

 "I don't discuss the region you come from or who you are, let the truth be told.

I have heard some ex-players like Mikel Obi talking nonsense about reforms in NFF, why were they silent for eight years Amaju Pinnic was in office?

Mikel Obi was a beneficiary of  our football. 

"The Mikel Obi that's talking today, what happened to Vincent Enyeama, one of our best goalkeepers, the most capped player? 

Mikel Obi was there and he hypocritically kept quiet. Is it now his eyes are open that we need reforms in Nigerian football or regime change.

Harrison Jalla's renewed battle 

"My friend Harrison Jalla that is now writing, I warned him. When Shehu Dikko came into the office, they were arranging to visit Dikko, I was invited but I refused to go. More than 60 solidarity visits were arranged by various stakeholders, organisations etc. 

Where are they today, all these solidarity visits, what has changed?

"They were doing this because the president, Ahmed Bola Tinubu watched television unlike the late President Buhari. They were running sports in the Media.The President saw it, he told them I have seen it, you earn it, you deserved it.

"But the president didn't understand that corruption and arranged visits and decay in Nigerian sports goes beyond newspaper and television accolades and solidarity visits.

"When Harrison Jalla told me of a planned visit to Shehu Dikko, I told him point blank that I will not visit them and that nothing will change.

"Jalla said we should give them a chance, they would bring reform to Nigerian football and the sector etc. I told Jalla  again that it will not happen.

I am surprised that Jalla suddenly started attacking NFF instead of attacking those who promised him a reform.

NSC needs reform 

"Beside, is it not only Nigeria football that needs reform? Even the National Sports Commission needs reform.

Look at what is happening in Basketball, Athletics federations, etc. It runs in a circle.

Between Amaju and Gusau 

"Amaju Pinnic led NFF board committed more crime than Ibrahim Gusau led NFF.

Did Amaju Pinnic qualified Nigeria for World Cup? No.

Has money not been mismanaged  under Amaju Pinnic, what happened? Nothing.

Ibrahim Gusau is trying to manage the little he has to run the NFF. 

We have more money during the Amaju Pinnic tenure in NFF than today.

"Amaju contested for CAF elections based on NFF vote of confidence, even with all his bad records

and his inordinate ambition made him secure one vote. At a point, Amaju boasted he does not need Nigeria, it's Nigeria that needs him in FIFA. So where's he now?

"These mishaps will continue to happen in NFF until an investigation is carried out starting from  from Aminu Maigari tenure, else we are going nowhere.

Selfish visit to Tinubu 

"All these players talking today once visited President Tinubu soon after he secured the mandate from his party in 2023.

Nwankwo Kanu, Waheed Akanni, Pastor Taribo West, JJ Okocha, etc  went before Tinubu and could not present any paper on the way forward for Nigerian football.

Today, they want regime change, claiming they run the game; says who? They didn't go with an agenda to meet the president.

Now, they want to talk.

It was obvious they went for their personal interest.

Missing World Cup again 

"No country plan to go to FIFA World Cup in two years. It's a transition, a programme driven by process and backed by genuine activities.

I have been speaking about the rot in Nigerian football for over 25 years and no one listens to.me.

Vote of confidence on Gusau 

"NFF Congress has the right to pass a vote of confidence on its leadership and I saw it coming. 

I hate this selective attack, Nigeria football got bad when Amaju Pinnic and Shehu Dikko led NFF for eight years.

A new beginning 

"Reform must begin from the top. NSC must initiate it by putting its board together to manage the commission and account for tax payers' money in the last five years."