The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has suspended preparations for its September 27 elective congress and appointed Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme as interim General Secretary following a sweeping leadership shake-up ordered amid calls for reforms in Nigerian football.
The National Sports Commission (NSC) endorsed Ikpeme, the federation’s former Deputy General Secretary, to oversee the NFF Secretariat after President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the Executive Committee resigned.
The NFF announced the changes on Thursday, saying the measures were part of an interim arrangement to keep the federation running while the Federal Government pursues comprehensive reforms.
“Following Thursday’s resignations of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau as President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi as General Secretary, and members of the Executive Committee, the National Sports Commission has endorsed Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, until now Deputy General Secretary, to oversee the NFF Secretariat as interim General Secretary,” the federation said.
The Director of Media and Communications, Dr Ademola Olajire, has also been appointed interim Deputy General Secretary.
September election put on hold
With the leadership structure undergoing changes, the federation said all processes relating to the planned elective congress had been suspended.
“All processes initiated in preparation for the NFF Elective Congress scheduled for 27 September have also been suspended,” it stated.
The NFF, however, said the suspension would pave the way for a new electoral process after the completion of the proposed reforms.
“A fresh electoral process will commence following the completion of the anticipated comprehensive reforms, to be undertaken in consultation with world football’s governing body, FIFA, and CAF,” it said.
The suspension comes after weeks of controversy over the proposed election, with some stakeholders questioning the credibility of the process and calling for structural changes before a new leadership is elected.
Former Nigeria Premier Football League chairman Rumson Baribote had criticised the voting structure, arguing that state football associations wielded excessive influence.
Former international Harrison Jalla had also said the electoral process was the subject of litigation, while reports indicated that the NSC was considering a normalisation arrangement to oversee the transition.
The election was initially scheduled for September 26 before being moved to September 27 to accommodate the Super Eagles’ 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Madagascar.
Domestic leagues affected
The interim measures extend to Nigeria’s major domestic competitions.
The NFF has directed the chairmen, appointed directors and chief executive officers of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), Nigeria Women Football League and Nationwide League One to hand over the administration of their respective leagues to their Chief Operating Officers.
The federation said the COOs, who are NFF employees, would oversee the competitions during the transition.
Where a league’s COO is not an NFF staff member, the acting General Secretary will appoint another official from within the federation to perform the role.
The NFF said the measures were necessary to ensure that football activities continue without disruption while consultations on the proposed reforms are ongoing.
It said the transition would involve engagements with FIFA, CAF, the Federal Government and other stakeholders to develop a roadmap for restructuring Nigerian football.
Gusau resigns with 34 days left
The crisis followed the resignation of Gusau, Sanusi and members of the NFF Executive Committee.
Gusau, who was elected NFF president in Benin City, Edo State, on September 30, 2022, resigned with 34 days remaining on his four-year tenure.
Explaining his decision, he said he had consulted his family, friends and stakeholders in the football community before deciding to step aside in the interest of the game.
He said his resignation was intended to facilitate an “orderly and comprehensive reform process” capable of addressing the institutional, governance and developmental problems confronting Nigerian football.
The NFF linked the mass resignations to growing national dissatisfaction over the recent performances of the country’s national teams.
Poor results trigger overhaul
The leadership crisis has followed a difficult period for Nigerian football.
The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Super Falcons recently suffered the historic setback of missing out on qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Falcons had earlier been knocked out by Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Their subsequent 2-1 loss to South Africa in the World Cup play-off ended Nigeria’s record of qualifying for every previous edition of the women’s World Cup.
The NFF has also come under scrutiny over its management of a Federal Government intervention fund released in 2024. A fact-finding committee report had raised allegations concerning the influence of board members and officials over national team invitations.
Against the backdrop of the mounting concerns, President Bola Tinubu directed a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football on Thursday.
The President said the exercise must address governance, administration, stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability.
He also observed that football, despite being Nigeria’s most popular sport and receiving considerable public support, investment and attention, continued to suffer from structural deficiencies.
Tinubu directed the NSC chairman to work with the NFF Secretariat and football stakeholders to maintain essential administration while developing a broader reform programme in consultation with FIFA and CAF.
Who will lead after the reforms?
Ikpeme will now manage the NFF Secretariat pending the outcome of the reform process and the eventual conduct of a fresh election.
Several names have previously featured in conversations about possible future leadership of the federation, including former Super Eagles captain Segun Odegbami, Remo Stars owner Kunle Soname, former NFF president Amaju Pinnick, former Chelsea technical director Mike Emenalo, former Super Eagles midfielder Seyi Olofinjana and former international Chikelue Iloenyosi.
Emenalo has generated particular interest on social media, with supporters citing his international experience and professional pedigree as qualities that could help reshape Nigerian football.
For now, however, the Federal Government’s reform agenda takes precedence over the question of who will eventually emerge as the next elected NFF president.
The federation said further directives would be communicated as discussions involving the government, FIFA, CAF and other stakeholders progress.
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