Benue State Football Association chairman Barrister Paul Edeh has rejected suggestions that State FA chairmen are standing in the way of reforms in Nigerian football amid disagreement over how the leadership situation at the Nigeria Football Federation should be resolved.
Edeh insisted that FA chairmen remain critical stakeholders within the NFF Congress and should not be portrayed as the problem simply because they hold a different position on the proposed reform process.
His comments follow consultations involving FIFA, CAF and Nigerian football stakeholders over the future structure of the NFF following the recent resignations of senior federation officials.
Reports from the meetings indicate that State FA representatives favour resolving the situation through the existing NFF Congress framework, rather than handing the process to an externally driven normalisation committee.
Edeh, however, believes disagreement over the mechanism for reform should not become an excuse to demonise FA chairmen.
He maintained that State FA bosses are as important as other constituent bodies within the Congress and deserve to have their position heard and respected during discussions over Nigerian football’s future.
The debate has exposed differing views among stakeholders.
Players, coaches and referees were among groups reported to have supported a normalisation process and broader representation within the NFF’s governance structure, while the State FA bloc argued that the Congress already possesses the framework to oversee a transition.
FIFA and CAF concluded their two-day assessment mission after listening to the competing positions and are now considering the way forward.
For Edeh, whatever solution eventually emerges must recognise every legitimate stakeholder rather than treating one bloc as an obstacle.
His message is clear: State FA chairmen may disagree with others over the route to reform, but that should not automatically make them the enemies of Nigerian football’s proposed new beginning.
