• FIFA, CAF representatives arrive in Yenagoa 
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will begin the process of amending its statute at its extraordinary general assembly, which begns in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, today.
  
The NFF extraordinary general assembly is a meeting of all the chairmen and secretaries of 36 states’ football associations and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with the members of the NFF executive committee and management, as well as chairmen and secretaries of the various leagues, the coaches association, the referees association, and the players’ union. 
  
The federation, in a statement, said that one of the chief issues to be discussed during the business session of the assembly is amendments to the extant NFF statutes, the NFF electoral code and the standing orders of the general assembly.  
 
The assembly is also expected to appoint members of the NFF Electoral Committee and the NFF Electoral Appeals Committee, as well as choose the federation’s independent auditor.
 
The Guardian could not ascertain if the assembly would deliberate on the order of the elections as demanded by some aggrieved stakeholders, but a source at the NFF said that the meeting would afford the federation opportunity to present its score card as it winds down its present tenure.
 
Some stakeholders have been agitating for a change in the order of the NFF elections such that the polls will start from the local councils and end at the presidential election.
 
The process currently starts with the presidential election after which the members of the executive committee conduct elections into the states’ associations. 
 
Some stakeholders allege that this order of elections gives the incumbent officers undue advantage as it “ensures that the members of the congress and the serving officers trade favours to retain their positions.” 
 
One of the aggrieved persons, Harrison Jalla, a chieftain of the players’ union, has warned football stakeholders not to be part of the assembly, describing it as “subjudice.” 
 
Jalla accused the NFF of flouting a presidential directive issued on June 17, 2022, adding that the NFF Congress as presently constituted is a one-member Congress.
  
He said that “the current undemocratic structure and its electoral process have been challenged in a court of competent jurisdiction since 2021, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/202.
 
“The major relief sought is equal representation on the NFF Executive Board, Standing Committees, and Ad-hoc Committees for all five federating units and blocs. Therefore, any purported Congress – by whatever name or guise, whether Extraordinary Congress or Elective Congress – is subjudice.”
 
Jalla, who is the chairman of the Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Concepts, added: “Only a Congress of equal representatives, set up in line with the NFF Statutes and the Presidential Directive, can amend the NFF Statutes. Nigeria is a constitutional democracy.”
 
Today’s general assembly will be declared open by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa.
  
Expected to attend the assembly are the Chairman of the National Sports Commissionn (NSC), Shehu Dikko; NSC Director General, Bukola Olopade; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Abdul Ningi, and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Kabiru Amadu.
   
NFF President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, will present a welcome address to the plenary before the business session.
  
The NFF in its statement said that officials from world football-governing body, FIFA and the continental governing body, CAF are already in Nigeria to observe proceedings of the general assembly.