Grant Political Autonomy To Leagues, Zira Charges NFF

Mr. Emmanuel Zira, erstwhile chairman of Adamawa United FC, has charged the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to grant political autonomy to the various football leagues in the country by allowing them to elect their leadership that will pilot their affairs.

The renowned football administrator who spoke from his base in Yola, said it an aberration to appoint a league chairman or chairperson and imposed him or her on the clubs.

He said, like the State FA, coaches and referees associations, the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), Nigeria Nation-wide League (NLO) and Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) should be allowed to elect their own executives that will run the leagues.

Zira, who was reacting to a recent statement credited to NFF President Ibrahim Gusau that club officials will not be allowed to get involved in administering the League, said much as he was of the view that anybody aspiring to lead or be part of the league board must resign club position, the clubs must be fully involved in deciding who governs the leagues.

“The league board from the chairman or chairperson must be elected by the club chairmen. The congress of Nigerian Professional clubs (men and women) should have the privilege to elect their board, no appointments, it’s an aberration, NFF should not appoint, let the 20 clubs elect their board members, but the board members should not be from the clubs.

“It is wrong when anyone denies clubs the opportunity to decide who leads the leagues.

“The club should be allowed to elect their own leader, Ibrahim Galadima gave us that opportunity when FIFA wrote to him that the Nigeria Premier League League should elect their own leader. The election should also be applied to other leagues that exist. Allow them to be elected so we have peace,” Zira said,

On the composition of the league boards, the former Adamawa united boss advocated that no serving club chairman or official should be involved in administering the leagues.

“In constituting the League board, the club can nominate anybody they feel can and they will vote for the person. I said it before, once you’re elected as NFF executive, you should relinquish your position as an FA chairman. When Infantino was elected as FIFA president, he resigned his position as president of UEFA immediately”.

“In this instance, any person who wants to be on the league’s board, he or she must relinquish his or her position in the club. You can not hold that position at the club and want to run the league,” he said.