By OLANREWAJU AKOJEDE

Tijani Babangida, the President of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), has called for restructuring of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Executive Committee ahead of September board election.

Babangida, in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos, said that the restructuring should make the membership of the NFF board more inclusive.

In the statement tagged; “NFF For Sustainable Growth and Development of Nigeria”, Babangida stated that equal representation in the NFF board would promote justice, peace, equity and fair play.

“The current structure of the NFF board is deficient on many fronts. The current structure dominated by the chairmen of the state football associations to the detriment of other important stakeholders does not portray the game of football as the most democratic game in the world.

“The board dominated by the state football association chairmen has its roots in the faulty nature of the composition and distribution of votes.

“This votes amongst the five distinct members of the NFF, according to the provisions of article 10:1 of NFF Statutes must be addressed if we must move forward and make progress”, he said.

It provides that the FAs have only 37 votes out of the 44 votes in the congress.

“There is no doubt that the current structure of the congress and the board has continuously promoted and encouraged election malpractices such as votes buying.

“This has negative effects on the quality of members of the board which robs on quality decisions making and good governance,” Babangida noted.

The PFAN president, however, canvassed a less cumbersome more democratic, less expensive, and more transparent and more inclusive structure that would guarantee equity.

“What I mean is that we should adopt a system, and structure where the board is composed of representatives of only duly, and democratically elected.

“They can be persons of the various stakeholders such as the football associations, the leagues, the players union, coaches association, Nigeria Referees Association, (NRA), Sports Writers Association, etc.

“They will now be responsible to elect the president of NFF and other key officials amongst themselves.

“By this, the election will be less expensive and devoid of manipulation and guarantee quality and professionalism”, Babangida said. (NAN)

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