The high-level meeting between the Nigeria Sports Commission (NSC), Nigerian football officials, and FIFA has been described as “very, very successful.”
The Independent Mirror reports that the high-level meeting was held in Zurich, Switzerland, on Tuesday amid growing expectations over the next phase of football reforms in Nigeria.
A source close to the meeting spoke to our correspondent immediately after the discussions, revealing that Nigeria’s delegation held talks with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and other senior officials of the world football governing body.
“It was a very successful meeting, and it was a great time discussing the future of Nigerian football,” the source disclosed.
However, the source did not disclose details of the discussions or reveal any specific decisions reached by both sides.
Nigeria was represented at the meeting by NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko, Olopade, Emmanuel Ikpeme, who is serving as the Acting NFF General Secretary, and lawyer Obi.
The delegation is understood to have briefed FIFA on recent developments within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), particularly the mass resignation of NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, and members of the NFF Executive Committee.
The talks also focused on the proposed roadmap for reforming Nigerian football and ensuring that the process is carried out in consultation with FIFA and other relevant football stakeholders.
The meeting comes amid intense interest in the circumstances surrounding the resignations, with some football stakeholders questioning whether members of the former NFF leadership were pressured into stepping down.
Any finding that the resignations resulted from external interference could potentially raise concerns under FIFA’s principles concerning government or third-party interference in the administration of football.
For now, the outcome of the meeting remains under wraps, with Nigerian football enthusiasts awaiting official communication from FIFA and the Nigerian authorities.
The discussions are expected to provide greater clarity on the proposed reform process, the future administration of the NFF, and the next steps towards restoring stability to Nigerian football.
Sportsbeat.ng
