By Jacob Ajom

As election for a new board of the Nigeria Football Federation draws near, stakeholders are perfecting their strategies to ensure members of the current board of the NFF are voted out for new faces and usher in a fresh breath to Nigeria football.

One of the fiercest critic of the NFF and Chairman, Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reforms Initiative, Prince Harrison Jalla has thrown in his hat in the ring and volunteered to run for the Presidency of the NFF ‘on a level playing field’.
However, Jalla insists, “I will not participate in an undemocratic and predetermined election in which those with the least football knowledge and competence continue to produce leaders whose actions have driven Nigerian football into decline.”

Former Nigeria international John Obi Mikel shares the same sentiments with Jalla. Mikel who has been so vocal against the present NFF, particularly since the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the World Cup back-to-back spoke during the week. He vented his spleen in unequivocal terms in a podcast anchored by former England international Peter Crouch. He told the former Liverpool star how he had severally turned down approaches by the Glass House for him to come home and join them.

Said Mikel, “We don’t have people that know about football. They occupy their positions year after year, controlling everything. They are reluctant to relinquish their power and the financial benefits that come with it.

“I have received calls to return and get involved, but I have declined. Those individuals need to go. I cannot work with people who do not share the same objectives as I do.”

Jalla corroborated Mikel’s stand and declared that “the qualification of African teams for the 2026 FIFA World Cup stands as clear evidence that football federations built on competence, accountability, and sound administration can achieve success.
Unfortunately, the Nigeria Football Federation remains deeply plagued by corruption and systemic mismanagement.”

He insisted that rather than the NFF “embracing transparency and accountability, it continues to rely heavily on funding from the Federal Government while using FIFA and CAF as cash cows while shielding against legitimate scrutiny and paying deaf ears to calls for reform.”

Mikel agrees, “Those individuals need to go. I cannot work with people who do not share the same objectives as I do. The goal is to improve the standard of football in Nigeria, which can be achieved quite easily. The funds must be allocated to the appropriate areas.”

Chairman of the defunct Gabros FC of Nnewi Gabriel Chukwuma told Olawale Ajimotokan of ThisDay, “They(NFF) were making Nigerians believe they had the magic wand with which to grab the World Cup ticket without knowing that they had nothing to offer.”

Chukwuma lambasted the NFF board of not only mismanaging the Super Eagles but for also failing to bring out the best in the U-17, U-20, U-23 and the home-based Eagles.

He said: “Tomorrow Gusau will claim he won WAFCON. What is WAFCON? The trophy we won 10 times because of the commitment and hard work of the ladies? If the proper thing were to be done, we must remove sentiments and call a spade a spade.”

As the September election draws near, we have gathered that in the coming weeks more aspirants will show up and challenge the present leadership of NFF. Tired of excuses and near misses, Nigerians are waiting with bathed breaths, to see who succeeds Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau at the Sunday Dankoro House come September.

Jalla said the minds of all Nigerian football fans: “The time has come for genuine change. Nigerian football deserves transparent leadership, democratic governance, and administrators whose primary commitment is to the growth of the game and the national interest—not personal or sectional interests.”

Mikel’s latest refusal come months after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a setback that intensified calls from supporters for respected former internationals to take leading roles in the administration of Nigerian football.

NFF leadership, September elections and growing calls for reform

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is currently led by President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, who has been in office since October 2022 after winning the federation’s elective congress. His administration, alongside First Vice President Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu and Second Vice President and NPFL Chairman Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, has now served for three years and nine months.

Administrative continuity is also provided by General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, who has held the position since March 2015, while former Super Eagles coach Augustine Eguavoen has served as Technical Director since November 2020. Their current executive cycle is due to end in September 2026, with the next NFF Elective Congress already scheduled for September 26 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

As campaigning gathers momentum ahead of the elections, public discussions have increasingly centred on whether former football stars should help lead the federation. Mikel and former Super Eagles defender Michael Emenalo are frequently mentioned because of their international reputations, although they offer very different profiles.

Emenalo is regarded as one of football’s most respected executives after serving as Chelsea’s Technical Director, AS Monaco’s Technical Director and later Chief Football Executive of the Saudi Pro League. Mikel, meanwhile, is admired for his leadership on the pitch, having earned 89 caps for Nigeria, captained the Super Eagles, won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and collected the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and multiple Premier League titles with Chelsea.