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Worried by the manner in which the election into the board of
the Nigeria Football Federation is being handled, a group of former
internationals under the aegis of ‘The Diaspora and Nigerian Soccer
Federation’, has written a petition to the world football governing body, FIFA,
and the Sports Minister, Isa Bio.

According to the ex-Eagles spokesperson, Paul Okoku, who is
based in America, former Nigerian internationals based in the USA like most
Nigerians are not happy with the way Nigerian football is being run.

“We have written a letter to the sports minister, which will
soon be submitted to him in Abuja. Part of our request is that a level playing
field that will allow ex-internationals get into the Nigeria Football
Federation (NFF) board must be created. We are not happy with the way things
are done and are determined to change it for good,” Okoku said.

Illegality and politics

Another former Eagles player, Taju Disu, confirmed that the
(Maryland) U.S.-based group had even petitioned FIFA over the way the NFF
Statutes have been tampered with.

“We are worried by the way the NFF people are conducting the
affairs of Nigerian football. So, we have written to FIFA to register our
displeasure – myself and other ex-internationals like Paul Okoku, the Olukanmi
brothers; Femi and Segun, Sam Okpodu, Ikechukwu Ofoje, Totty Okoro Totty,
Thompson Usiyen, Tony Igwe, Humphrey Edobor and others also based in the United
States of America, have resolved to return to Nigeria to present our grievances
to the minister. We have also resolved back to the candidacy of ex-captains
like Christian Chukwu, Segun Odegbami, Austin Okocha and Mutiu Adepoju. We
won’t give up until the right thing is done,” Disu said.

Disu has taken the NFF to court over the upcoming election and
the court will decide tomorrow whether the election will hold or not. Disu is
seeking an injunction over the illegality of the election and is asking the
court to stop the NFF election so that the state elections will hold first
before that into the executive committee of the football body.

“The tenure of the current state football associations’ board members has
expired and therefore they are not eligible to vote. If the election holds as
planned then most credible candidates like Segun Odegbami, Christian Chukwu,
Austin Okocha and Mutiu Adepoju have no chance of winning. This was the reason
I decided against contesting the election. There are too many illegalities and
a lot of politics involved and I do not want to be part of it,” he said.