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The Civil Society Network for Good Governance, a coalition of over 87 CSOs, has called on all stakeholders to give the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leadership all necessary support to continue to deliver better outcomes for the game in Nigeria. 

The group made the call during an advocacy procession in Abuja commencing at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Headquarters,  with stops at the Unity Fountain, the National Assembly, and terminating at the Secretariat of the NFF. 

Speaking with journalists during the rally,  president of the group Barr. Adefila Kamal said that “the advocacy procession was necessitated by the fact that Nigerians need to have a comprehensive grasp of issues in football administration and the performance of those they have saddled with the responsibility of managing football on their behalf”. 

The president informed the media that the group had “produced a Position Paper following a lengthy process of independently reviewing documentary evidence and engaging with stakeholders in the sector discreetly”. Barr.  Adefila said that the advocacy walk was a public presentation of the position paper to key institutions including the minister of Sports,  National Assembly leadership among others.

Barr. Adefila noted that the Amaju Pinnick led NFF board had transformed the administration of football in Nigeria which has led to “a harvest of sponsorships with the likes of Aiteo Group, Premier Lotto (Baba Ijebu), MTN,  Air Peace, Coca Cola, Star Lager, Amstel, Emzor, Zenith Bank, among others”.

He further noted that “the NFF is almost at full financial autonomy with the private sector now the major source of funds for the federation, in a clear departure from the past when football was run from government funds while the teams suffered due to the irregularity of budgeting and funds release cycles”.

Adefila also said that “the current board had come up with the most comprehensive youth development policy, which has led to the construction of 2 standard pitches in all the states of Nigeria while the national U13 and U15 tourneys have been revived, and mini secretariats have been constructed for state FAs”.

While informing the public that “the Position Paper,  which will serve as a reference material for advocacy and accountability, will be publicly accessible for verification purposes”, the president of the group called on those he described as “enemies of Nigeria’s football development” to accept that “football has moved onward and forward,  and will never go back to the days of merely waiting for government allocation to be shared”.

The group called on Amaju Pinnick to make himself available to run for a third term in office,  in order to consolidate on the successes achieved and make more Tom for Nigerians on the international scene. 

The group said it had commenced consultations in this regard to ensure that he emerges as president again for the good works he had done to be consolidated upon.