Former House of Representatives Committee on Sports chairman Hon. Godfrey Ali Gaiya has warned that the ongoing efforts to reform Nigerian football must not favour selected interests, insisting that every stakeholder in the football ecosystem deserves equal consideration.
Gaiya said those entrusted with overseeing the reform process must create sufficient room for the concerns and expectations of all parties to be heard if the exercise is to produce lasting solutions to the problems confronting the country’s football.
His intervention comes amid intensified discussions over the future structure and administration of Nigerian football, with stakeholders pushing different positions on the extent and direction of the reforms required.
For Gaiya, however, the credibility of the process will depend significantly on its inclusiveness.
The former federal lawmaker believes it would be unfair for those managing the reform exercise to give greater consideration to the interests of one group while overlooking others who also have legitimate stakes in the development of the game.
He stressed that football extends beyond administrators at the national level, with state associations, clubs, players, coaches, referees and other stakeholders all affected by decisions concerning the governance and future of the sport.
According to Gaiya, their concerns must therefore be properly accommodated before conclusions are reached on the way forward.
He maintained that the present situation provides an opportunity to address longstanding disagreements within Nigerian football, but warned that the process could create further divisions if stakeholders believe they have been excluded or treated unfairly.
Gaiya, who previously served as chairman of the House Committee on Sports, argued that reform should ultimately produce a system capable of commanding confidence across the football community.
That, he believes, requires listening to competing positions rather than designing solutions around a select group.
With discussions over the future of Nigerian football gathering momentum, Gaiya’s message to those overseeing the process is clear: every stakeholder deserves a voice, every legitimate concern deserves consideration, and reform must not become an opportunity to favour a chosen few.
