The Senate Committee on Sports on Wednesday summoned the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) to an emergency meeting, according to Committee Chairman Senator Abdul Ningi, who cited the Super Eagles‘ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil as the trigger.
Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central, presided over the meeting, which was attended by NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko and NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, the senator said.
According to Ningi, the meeting was convened on the instruction of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who he said had personally asked him to account for the decline in Nigerian football. Ningi said the session would form the basis of a comprehensive briefing he intends to present to the Senate when it resumes next month.
“I have the authority of the Senate President on this very important meeting,” Ningi said, adding: “This meeting is a preamble to the explanation I will offer the Senate when it reconvenes next month on the state of sports, and in particular, football in Nigeria today, and steps being taken to reposition it for better results.”
A further aim of the meeting, Ningi said, was to bridge the gap between the NFF and NSC. He described the two bodies as “wide apart” and said a follow-up meeting was being planned, “probably in the Villa,” though he did not give further detail on timing.
The national teams’ struggles had persisted despite what Ningi described as unprecedented financial support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He cited a reported $100,000 payment to players and officials and what he called a near-quadrupling of the sports ministry’s budget, arguing that this undercut funding as a sole explanation for poor results.
Ningi called Nigeria’s absence from the 2026 World Cup and the Super Falcons’ failure to reach the 2027 Women’s World Cup “painful developments.” He said both setbacks had intensified calls from football stakeholders and enthusiasts for reforms, including the dissolution of the NFF, though he stressed that any government or National Assembly action would need to comply with Nigerian law and FIFA statutes.
“My concern is that whatever action we must take, we must take it within the ambits of the law. We must look at our laws, and we must also look at the FIFA statutes,” Ningi said.
He assured Nigerians, in closing remarks, that the Senate would examine the circumstances surrounding the national teams’ performances and consider lawful measures to restore discipline and competitiveness.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
