The Guild of Sports Editors has backed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's intervention in the crisis engulfing Nigerian football, but warned the Federal Government against using the opportunity to simply replace one set of administrators with another.
The Guild, the umbrella body of sports editors and managers in Nigeria, made the call after an emergency meeting on Friday, following the resignation of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, the General Secretary and members of the Executive Committee.
In a statement signed by its President, Tony Ubani, the Guild said the resignations must mark the beginning of "genuine and far-reaching reforms" capable of addressing the structural problems that have undermined Nigerian football.
The Guild said Nigerians had endured years of disappointment as the country's football fortunes declined, pointing to the Super Eagles' successive failures to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, Nigeria's absence from the FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups, the declining performances of Nigerian clubs in CAF competitions and the Super Falcons' failure to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time in their history.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
"The emotions and joy of Nigerians have repeatedly been shattered by the failures that have become our lot in football," the Guild said.
While commending Tinubu for what it described as a bold intervention, the editors urged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to ensure that any proposed Normalisation Committee comprises individuals with proven integrity, competence and a genuine commitment to developing Nigerian football.
"The composition of the Normalisation Committee must not become another bazaar or an opportunity to compensate friends, girlfriends, political associates and cronies," the Guild warned.
"Nigeria needs people with fresh ideas, proven competence and unquestionable integrity to lead this reform process. Those who have contributed to the mess Nigerian football has become must not be recycled."
Guild demands sweeping reforms
The Guild called for clearly defined criteria for membership of the committee, a specific mandate and a fixed timetable for completing its assignment.
It warned against creating another open-ended administrative structure, insisting that the committee must have a clearly defined exit date.
Among its proposed priorities are a comprehensive review of the statutes and governance structure of Nigerian football, a transparent electoral system and stronger mechanisms for accountability.
The Guild also called for the long-running legal questions surrounding the identity and status of the country's football governing body to be addressed, particularly the use of the names Nigeria Football Federation and Nigeria Football Association.
"There is everything in a name. The legal foundation of Nigerian football must be properly addressed if the reforms are to stand the test of time," it said.
The sports editors further demanded a comprehensive forensic audit of the NFF's finances, contracts, assets and activities.
They insisted that the resignation of the former leadership should not halt any investigations into alleged financial misconduct.
"Resignation is not immunity," the Guild declared.
"Anyone found to have abused his or her position or mismanaged the resources of Nigerian football must be held accountable."
'Autonomy must not mean lack of accountability'
The Guild urged the Federal Government and NSC to maintain consultation with FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) throughout the reform process.
However, it cautioned that the need to preserve football autonomy must not be used as a justification for allowing incompetence or alleged impunity to continue.
"Football autonomy must not be interpreted as freedom from accountability," the Guild said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The organisation also vowed to closely monitor the selection of members of the proposed Normalisation Committee and every stage of the reform process.
"We shall be watching. This opportunity must not be wasted or turned into another exercise in recycling the same people and preserving the same failed system under a different name," it warned.
The Guild stressed that the objective of the intervention should go beyond organising another election or installing a new set of administrators.
"Nigeria must build a football system founded on transparency, competence, accountability and sustainable development," it said.
Concluding its statement, the Guild described the intervention as a rare opportunity to rebuild Nigerian football and urged the Federal Government and NSC to ensure that the process delivers lasting change.
"Nigeria has suffered enough. Nigerian football must now be rebuilt."
