The Coalition of Arewa Youths has declared its support for the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) under Ibrahim Musa Gusau, while warning against politicising the federation’s forthcoming elective congress.

The coalition said attempts to portray the Gusau-led administration as solely responsible for Nigeria’s recent football disappointments, particularly the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, amounted to scapegoating and could undermine constructive debate about the future of Nigerian football.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, spokesperson of the coalition, Sa’ad Mohammed, said there was a need for a balanced, honest and responsible conversation ahead of the September 27, 2026 NFF Elective Congress scheduled to hold in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

Mohammed acknowledged that Nigerian football had suffered painful setbacks but argued that sporting outcomes could not always be attributed to the performance or decisions of administrators.

It added that while legitimate questions should be asked about the state of Nigerian football, criticism should not be selectively deployed to settle political or sectional interests ahead of an election.

He said: “Football, as the world knows it, is a game of preparation, discipline, strategy and ability – and, importantly, a game of chances. Sometimes, despite painstaking preparation, determination and the very best efforts of players and officials, the desired result simply does not come.

“We must therefore be careful not to turn unfortunate sporting outcomes into an excuse for political or sectional scapegoating.

“The players of our beloved Super Eagles and Super Falcons have repeatedly carried the hopes and aspirations of more than 200 million Nigerians onto the football pitch.

“They have fought, endured pressure and represented our country with pride. When the result has gone against us, it has not necessarily been because those who wore the green and white did not care or did not try.

“Sometimes, football gives you the result you deserve; sometimes, it gives you a painful reminder that preparation and effort do not eliminate the element of chance.”

The coalition noted that Gusau became NFF president following the election of September 30, 2022, while the tenure of the current Executive Committee is expected to end on September 29, 2026.

It further recalled that the NFF Extraordinary General Assembly held in March 2026 approved amendments to the federation’s Statutes and Electoral Code and established the Electoral Committee and Electoral Appeals Committee for the forthcoming election.

The group also highlighted the unanimous vote of confidence passed by the NFF Congress in the Gusau-led Executive Committee at the March meeting.

According to the youths, the electoral process should provide an opportunity for candidates and stakeholders to present their records, programmes and visions rather than subjecting the incumbent administration to what they described as a “trial by media.”

The coalition said Arewa stakeholders should be allowed to pursue leadership positions within the NFF without being portrayed as hostile to other regions.

It argued that Arewa had supported leadership aspirations from other parts of the country in the past and should therefore be entitled to advocate for its own legitimate opportunity to lead and contribute to Nigerian football.

Stressing that its position was not intended to diminish the contributions of other regions to the development of Nigerian football, the group cautioned against attempts to drag President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into the internal electoral contest of the NFF.

It urged stakeholders to distinguish between legitimate government support for sports development and interference in the internal administration of the football federation.

The coalition said claims suggesting that the Presidency was seeking to influence the NFF election should not be entertained without credible evidence.

It also referenced FIFA’s requirement that member associations manage their affairs independently and conduct their elections without undue external influence.

The group consequently urged Nigerians to disregard what it described as “unsubstantiated claims and misinformation” regarding alleged plans by the Presidency to interfere in the NFF electoral process.

While expressing confidence in the Gusau-led administration, the coalition acknowledged that the NFF leadership was not without shortcomings.

“There are areas where more must be done. There are decisions that deserve scrutiny. There are structural problems in Nigerian football that require urgent attention,” it said.

The group argued that some reforms and initiatives introduced by the current administration required time and continuity to mature.

“Disrupting these efforts midway, without allowing the ongoing changes sufficient time to take root and deliver measurable results, may ultimately set Nigerian football back rather than move it forward,” it said.

The coalition called for the September 27 election to be free, fair, transparent and credible, with all legitimate stakeholders allowed to exercise their rights in accordance with the NFF Statutes and Electoral Code.