Nigerian football is faced with a fresh controversy as stakeholders accuse the leadership structure of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of plotting to retain what they describe as a “fatally defective” system ahead of the proposed 2026 elections.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, football stakeholder Prince Harrison Jalla alleged that the 37 State Football Association (FA) chairmen are spearheading moves to sustain a governance framework skewed permanently in their favour, while excluding other federating units and private-sector stakeholders.
According to Jalla, the strategy ahead of the scheduled September 2026 NFF election is to maintain the status quo, despite unresolved litigation challenging the legitimacy of the 2022 NFF elections. He noted that the 2026 poll may not even hold until Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/2021, currently before the Federal High Court, Abuja, is fully determined.
He further alleged that the September 2022 NFF elections were conducted in defiance of both a Presidential directive dated June 17, 2022, and an existing court order, describing those who proceeded with the process as “charlatans” who imposed themselves on Nigerian football.
Jalla stressed that the entire NFF electoral process remains sub judice, warning that any attempt to conduct fresh elections without comprehensive reforms would further entrench illegality and administrative imbalance in the sport.
He called for urgent governance reforms through a congress made up of equal representatives of the five NFF federating units, insisting that any credible restructuring must guarantee equal representation on the NFF Board, Congress, and all standing and ad-hoc committees.
Meanwhile, the legal battle surrounding the NFF elections is set to intensify, as contempt proceedings in the ongoing case are scheduled to come up on February 5, 2026, at Federal High Court 4, Abuja.
The development adds another layer of uncertainty to Nigerian football, raising concerns over transparency, legality, and the future leadership of the country’s football governing body.
