North-east Chairman Demands NFF Presidency Stay in North

A state Football Association chairman from north-east Nigeria has asserted that the presidency of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should remain in the North after the exit of Ibrahim Gusau. The chairman argued that the North is entitled to produce Gusau’s successor since he served only one four-year term, unlike his predecessor, Amaju Pinnick, who held the position for eight years.

This stance underscores the regional interests in the leadership struggle of the NFF as stakeholders await FIFA's decision on the governance crisis. The debate also revolves around whether the current NFF Congress should manage the transition or if FIFA should appoint a normalisation committee for reforms and new elections.

The state FA chairmen, who hold significant voting power, are advocating for the use of existing constitutional provisions to fill the leadership void and proceed with elections. The northern chairman's position reflects his view in the succession debate but does not represent a consensus among all stakeholders regarding regional rotation.