BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

The first meeting of the executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in 2015 will take place in Lagos on January 8. Sources at the secretariat of the federation in Abuja told Sports Vanguard that the meeting will be holding outside Abuja so as to enable members to fully participate in the forthcoming Glo/CAF award slated to take place in Lagos on the

10th of this month.

The meeting among others is expected to chart a new road map for the administration of the game in the country with a view to taking a holistic appraisal of its activities in the past few months which culminated in the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), kicking off in Equatorial Guinea on the 11th of this month.

A lot of angry reactions have trailed Super Eagles failure to be in Malabo to defend the trophy which they won in South Africa in 2013.
Presently, many soccer analysts have called for the total overhauling of the national team including the removal of Coach Stephen Keshi but forces within and outside the NFF have not allowed this to happen. It was also understood that the board would look into the issue of Keshi’s appointment and come out with a position on the matter.

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi

“I can confirm to you that the board will be meeting on January 8, but in Lagos. Remember that the Glo-CAF awards will also be taking place in Lagos around that time so the board members will use the opportunity of that event to meet and deliberate on many issues concerning the development of football in the country”.

Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the NFF Musa Amadu says he will use the opportunity of the board meeting to table the request of Iyke Igbokwe for the setting up of an Arbitration Panel to look into the dispute that has emanated from the September 30, 2014 election into the board of the NFF.

Amadu told journalists in Abuja that since Igbokwe was a contestant in the said election and having said he was not satisfied with the outcome of the Electoral Appeals Committee which came out with two reports with the majority upholding the election, he has no option than to table the demand before the board at the meeting.

The scribe however noted that the decision to set up the committee does not lie with him but the executive committee of the federation hence his resolve to notify them of the demand.