Football Reform: Local Council, State FA Elections To Precede New NFF Poll

Football Reform: Local Council, State FA Elections To Precede New NFF Poll 

By Niyi Busari

The Federal Government’s push to reform Nigerian football is expected to trigger a comprehensive review of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) electoral and governance structure, with the process potentially beginning at the local council level, BSNSports.com.ng reports. 

The development follows the resignation of the NFF President, General Secretary and entire Executive Committee, which has effectively halted the federation’s previously scheduled electoral process and opened the way for wider structural reforms.

A Normalisation Committee is expected to be constituted following consultations with FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The committee will be saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the reform process and establishing a new framework for the election of football administrators at the various levels.

The process is expected to begin with elections at the local football council level, followed by State Football Association elections and, ultimately, a new NFF elective congress.

Among the committee’s anticipated responsibilities will be reviewing and, where necessary, amending the NFF Statutes, developing fresh electoral guidelines, determining an electoral timetable and establishing the appropriate electoral and appeals committees to conduct the various elections.

The reforms could therefore result in a completely new electoral roadmap for Nigerian football, rather than simply replacing the officials who recently resigned.

This position was highlighted in a letter signed by NFF Acting General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme to the chairman and members of the electoral committee that had been working on preparations for the now-suspended NFF elections.

Ikpeme commended the committee members for their commitment and sacrifice in accepting the responsibility of conducting the electoral process despite their professional and personal engagements.

He acknowledged that the resignation of the NFF President, General Secretary and entire Executive Committee, announced at a press conference on Thursday, August 27, had created a major disruption to the country’s football administration.

According to the Acting General Secretary, the development brought all processes relating to the NFF Elective Congress scheduled for September 27, 2026, to an immediate halt.

“The departures have paved way for structural and other forms of reforms that have been directed by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR,” Ikpeme stated.

He added that the proposed reforms would mean that the existing NFF Congress structure would no longer continue in its planned form, with the process towards a new elective congress beginning from the local council level.

“Planned reforms towards a new Elective Congress will start with Local Council elections,” he said.

Ikpeme also disclosed that an interim administration had been put in charge of the NFF Secretariat, pending the establishment of a Normalization Committee after consultations with FIFA and CAF.

The proposed approach represents a significant departure from the suspended electoral calendar and could lead to a bottom-up restructuring of Nigerian football administration.

If implemented, the process would require elections to be conducted sequentially from the local councils through the State Football Associations before the eventual election of a new NFF Executive Committee.

The Normalization Committee would therefore have a crucial role in ensuring that the process complies with the NFF Statutes, FIFA requirements and CAF regulations while addressing longstanding concerns surrounding the administration and electoral structure of Nigerian football.

The success of the reform will ultimately depend on the credibility, independence and transparency of the electoral process, as well as the ability of the committee to build consensus among the various stakeholders in Nigerian football.