Only NFF Congress Has Power To Expand Membership, Says Dare

The minister of youth and sports development, Sunday Dare has said the proposed expansion of the Nigeria Football Federation elective congress is beyond his powers as a minister.

Dare stated this while speaking to journalists at the Presidential Villa after President Muhammadu Buhari had okayed National Honours and cash reward of N200 million for Team Nigeria contingent to the 2022 Commonwealth Games and World Athletics championships at a presidential reception in honour of the athletes.

According to him, the proposed expansion of the Congress of the General Assembly from 44 members to 111 members was an advisory and not to be forced on NFF.

One of the key recommendations of the 10-Year Football Development Masterplan recently submitted to the President suggested an expansion of the voting delegates at the NFF elective congress from forty-four (44) to one hundred and eleven (111), and a slight increase in the number of Executive Committee members from fifteen (15) to sixteen(16), to accommodate a woman in line with FIFA’s thinking and new global practice.

“On the master plan, the desire to have the expansion of the Congress of the General Assembly was an advisory that was also given by the Ministry and Mr. President. There’s no interference there.

“The NFF like I said, in my speech in seven and half years, has received from the federal government of Nigeria, under this precedent, in excess of N15 billion, you go and check the 2004 NFA act. And you see the powers of the ministry is clearly stated.

“So there is no interference there. And I’ve said that the altar ego of the NFF is the Congress. It is only the Congress that has the powers to increase the number from 44 to 111, as recommended, I have said it is the Congress, I can’t do it. We’ve not forced them to do it.

“But we have given a reasonable and objective advice for them to do what is right for our country and for our football and it’s not left for the administration of our football to do that along with the Congress,” he said.