As the debate rages on over a new format to guide the Congress of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the Forum of Retired Directors of Sports and General Managers of States’ Sports Councils/Commissions has proposed a sharp reduction in the number of votes allocated to the State FA Chairmen from 37 to six.

For years, many stakeholders have accused states’ FA chairmen of being the main reason elections into the board of the NFF had been lopsided, as they controlled 37 votes of the 54-member Congress.

With the recent resignation of former NFF President Ibrahim Gusau and all the board members, including the Secretary General Mohammed Sanusi, stakeholders are searching for a new format that will best suit the voting process.
  
A former General Manager of Ekiti State Sports Council, Kayode Akinwumi, who spoke on behalf of the forum yesterday, said that they have decided to put forward the proposal to guide all stakeholders on the NFF reformation roadmap.

“It is a work in progress, and we want all football patriots to come forward with their contributions on how to arrive at a workable format for the NFF Congress,” Akinwumi said.

The Forum said that the states’ FA chairmen’s votes should be reduced from 37 to six (one each from the six geopolitical zones).

“Coaches should have six members (one each from the six geopolitical zones; referees six (one each from the six geopolitical zones; sports writers six members (one each from the six geopolitical zones; players union 12 (two each from the six geopolitical zones; club owners/representatives six (one each from the six geopolitical zones, and supporters club six (one each from the 6 geopolitical zones).

Other representatives, according to the Forum are six representatives for sponsors (one each from the six geopolitical zones); school Sports six (one each from the six geopolitical zones); physical education teachers and practitioners six (one each from the six geopolitical zones), certified licensed players agents six (one each from the six geopolitical zones), Football Academy Owners six (one each from the six geopolitical zones), as well as four representatives from the Armed Forces and Police (one each from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Police).

In his contribution yesterday, former National Chairman of the Director of Sports/ General Managers in the country, Victor Onogagamue, said: “We propose to have a total of 82 members who should be eligible to form the NFF Congress and vote. This will be a major step.”
 
Onogagamue, a former Director General, Delta State Sports Commission, and the Chairman of the Technical Sub-Committee of the LOC for the African School Games (Abuja 2027), told The Guardian, yesterday, that if the proposal by the Forum is considered, the mirage of problems confronting the NFF Congress will become a thing of the past.

However, a member of NAPHER-SD, Dr Christian Emeruwa, said the Players Union should have one representative each from the zones, as most of the other groups, pointing out that the FA chairmen’s large number is part of the things that have caged various NFF leadership over the years.

This, he said, has prevented the NFF leadership from taking critical decisions, including sanctions on clubs, their owner states, and personalities related to them.
 
“Simply put, we should not eliminate a monster and create another by default,” Emeruwa said. “We have underestimated the fact that there could be people outside of the major football sub-entities who could inject trailblazing ideas into football administration. The status quo or how it affects us mentality could, doubtless, stunt the kind of ideas/strategies we could evolve. I therefore suggest slots for those in the infrastructure, policies and financing field/sectors.

“The limitations of the military/security representation to the Armed Forces and the Police will not aid inclusivity. I know it will be too unwieldy to extend representation to all the paramilitary outfits. I therefore suggest a representation of the outfits under the Ministry of Interior.

“With these and what others can bring on board, especially if platformed on sincerity by us all, we will start well.”

Emeruwa added: “Club Owners should have at least 24 votes because they make the highest investment in our football. He who pays the piper must dictate the tune, with bigger representatives.”