Tony UBANI, Editor
The Nigeria Football Association, NFA, no doubt remains one of the most attractive jobs in the land. And as the zero hour to the election into the board of the NFA draws near, not less than 56 individuals have picked forms to contest for the most popular job in the country.

Lulu

The last man who occupied the top position of the job, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi is still under the microscope of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for alleged financial misdeeds. Lulu maintains that his hands are clean. He had gone through the agony of seeing his mother kidnapped and released after the kidnappers wanted a share of their own national cake.

Lulu pleaded before the release that he had no millions to pay as ransom in exchange for the release of the old woman. Lulu was impeached alongside chairman of Technical committee of the NFA, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, and first Vice President, Mazi Amanze Uchegbulam.

Some of the Nigerians angling to take over from Lulu include former chairman of the Nigerian Premier League, Chief Oyuiki Jackson Obaseki, former African Sports Journalists Union, ASJU, President cum Secretary General and former President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Fan Ndubuoke, Chairman of Enyimba International, Felix Anyansi Agwu who guided the People’s Elephants to win the Champions League in 2003 and 2004 respectively.

Pretty face on TV, Aisha Falode, former Secretary General of the NFA, Alhaji Sani Ahmed Toro, former Scribe of the NFA, Tijani Yusuf, Shehu Dikko, and Sports commissioner in Ogun State, Bukola Olopade.

Others are Adegboye Onigbinde, Ambassador Lumumba Adeh, mathematical Segun Odegbami, former skipper of the Eagles, J.J Okocha, former skipper of Rangers and Eagles, Christian Chukwu, David Suleimanm, Mrs Ayo Omidiran and current interim President of the NFA, Alhaji Aminu Maigaira.

Speaking to Sports Vanguard, former NPL Chairman, Obaseki said that he has the magic wand to turn Nigerian football around. “I’ve the pedigree to turn Nigerian football around.

I did it in the NPL where I got sponsorships that we never had before. I weep each time Nigerians die of hypertension watching the national team play. I will stop the heartache”, the man called “Moving Train” said.

Fan Ndubuoke: “I’m the most suited to rebuild Nigerian football because they want a successful, private business man who has excelled in his business.

I have the requisite experience as a former international journalist who turned around the futures of SWAN and ASJU for the better. Time is up for old school who want to milk our football dry to settle their grand children”, the man popularly called “Lion”, said.

Aisha Falode simply wants to be a board member and contribute from there. “As a member of CAF, I have gathered experience that is needed to give our football direction.

I have experience as a Journalist and as an active participant in discovering female football, it is time to drive our female football to the front burner.

Felix Anyansi-Agwu: “My performance speaks for me. I have won virtually everything in the Nigerian football scene.

I break the jinx of winning African Champions League by leading Enyimba to win in 2003 and 2004.

I have the League and FA a record times. Enyimba is the most successful club in Nigeria. To turn around Nigerian football, we have to look inwards. Charity begins at home. I hold the ace in administration in Nigeria and Africa”.

Sports Vanguard gathered that more Nigerians are likely to collect nomination forms even as we learnt that everybody is cautious to know where Government interest lies.

We can inform that Government wants well established individuals to bring their money, wealth of experience and make companies to sponsor the national team instead of depending on government alone and ‘stealing’ government money which many of them say does not need to be accounted for.

Moneybags like Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola are still being talked to to join the race and save Nigerian football from extacode-seeking Nigerians.