Football fans across Nigeria are voicing strong objections to any attempts to extend or renew the contract of Mohammed Sanusi, the long-serving General Secretary of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), citing violations of federation statutes.
This call was made over the weekend by the Movement for the Advancement of Nigerian Football (MANF).
In a statement, MANF’s National Convener, Olayiwola Akande, declared, “We are raising this alarm to save Nigerian football from its current downward slide. Sanusi, as NFF General Secretary for 11 years, has been part of this decline and will continue to be if his tenure is extended illegally by a cabal within the NFF.”
Akande further criticized the sports ministry, stating, “Unfortunately, the sports ministry has proved to be a complete failure. The toothless leadership has failed to bring the required reforms and fresh changes expected.”
MANF has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and safeguard the future of Nigerian football.
Akande pointed out that Sanusi has been a contract staff member since 2007, despite the availability of more competent civil servants for the position, and has had his contract renewed four times, contrary to Federal Government Establishment Regulations.
MANF also advised that the search for a new General Secretary should begin in earnest.
“The NFF and Nigerian football need fresh blood and new, progressive ideas to overcome years of poor administration and performance,” Akande stated.
He emphasized that the process must be transparent and in compliance with the Nigerian Constitution’s principle of federal character, noting that the current NFF president is from Zamfara State in the North West. MANF insists that the NFF Congress, as a geopolitical body, has no legal or moral right to interfere in the selection of a professional General Secretary. The NFF Statute mandates that the General Secretary should have at least a professional background in Physical and Health Education or Sports management.
“Today, Nigeria has, for the first time, failed to qualify for major sporting tournaments like the Olympics and World Cup under the current secretary general. All its age-grade teams are also failing due to incompetence and corruption. Unless this is urgently addressed, Nigerian football will never be able to recover its position in the league of footballing nations,” Akande warned.
“We thank the NFF secretary general for his services, but it is time for him to go and allow new, fresh faces to take over,” Akande concluded.