Former Nigeria international, Segun Odegbami has clarified that his ongoing dispute with the NFF is not personal, but rooted in his desire to see growth of football in the country.
Odegbami emphasized the need for a simplified governance structure within the federation, proposing that the executive committee should be elected solely by registered and relevant members of the NFF on an equal representation basis.
He also insisted that the venue for the upcoming election, currently scheduled for Lafia in Nasarawa State, should be relocated to the federation’s headquarters in Abuja to minimize external interference.
“I have no personal beef with any individual member of the board; many of them are my friends. They all have good intentions for Nigerian football.
“What Nigeria needs now is a simple governance structure an executive committee elected by only relevant and registered members of the NFF on an equal representation basis through an easy, simple, inexpensive process.
“The election must be held at the headquarters of the federation in the federal capital city to eliminate external influence and reduce the tendency for corrupt practices in the state.
“The new process may produce a lean board of quality leaders and members that can take Nigerian football to the highest levels in the world in the next few years,” he said.
Odegbami, a former Green Eagles star, has consistently criticized the planned 2026 NFF elections, even threatening legal action to halt the process.
Also read: NFF Faulted for Neglect of Home-Based Players, Local Leagues
He has vowed to approach a civil court to stop the elective congress scheduled for September 26, 2026.
Odegbami maintains that the current NFF constitution and electoral framework are fundamentally flawed, describing them as “faulty” and “concocted” to favor certain interests, particularly state Football Association chairmen.
