Ahead of the Elective Congress of the Nigerian Football Federation billed for September 30th this year, ex-internationals that have thrown their hats in the ring have been asked to kiss their dreams goodbye if the statutes of the football governing body remains status quo.
This bit of advice was handed down by notable football administrator and CAF Medical Committee member, Dr. Peter Singabele in Yenagoa on Monday.
Aside ex-internationals, other personalities or football stakeholders outside members of the NFF General Assembly that are interested in the top job of the NFF should have a rethink, as the current statutes will not give them a smooth ride.
According to the former board member of the football governing body, those outside the chairmen of the various states or board members, should work towards amending the current statutes before eyeing the NFF Presidency, of which the possibility of such happening has elapsed since the election is already at hand.
He said, “the fact that you are a good footballer doesn’t necessarily transform to being a good administrator. We have had a good number of them hold some positions and we know the outcome. Although, I will not use that to condemn all ex-players, I believe the field is still open for them. But my reservation is that the NFF statutes as currently stipulated, does not make much room for ex football players to emerge as NFF President. it’s difficult, they can be one day but now it’s difficult”.
“The FA Chairmen from the thirty six states and the FCT, they are the ones having the voting rights. Very few other stakeholders are also there, so at the end of the day, unless you are in the circle of football association chairmen, then it’s difficult, although not impossible, but difficult to emerge”.
“All I will advise them, am talking of these ex-internationals, is to push to see that at some point we amend the statutes and make more voting rights available to them and to other stakeholders”.
As regards the recent declaration of the League Management Company as illegal, the football administrator urged the football governing body to quickly set up a team that will address it once and for all.
Dr. Peter Singabele used the moment to congratulate the state and football followers in particular, for the promotion of Bayelsa United to the elite league for the first time in seven years, as well as the qualification of Bayelsa Queens for the group stage of the CAF Women’s Champions League, having conquered other nations at the preliminary level in Cote d’ivoire.
/Patrick Ndubuisi
