The push by some State Football Association chairmen for the installation of a Caretaker Committee to run the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) appears to have suffered a major setback, with indications that FIFA is more likely to support a Normalization Committee to address the leadership crisis engulfing Nigerian football.
The development followed consultations between the FIFA/CAF delegation currently in Nigeria and key stakeholders in the country’s football administration.
Four of the five NFF Members consulted are understood to have expressed preference for a Normalization Committee, rather than a Caretaker Committee. The groups include the Players’ Union, the Football Coaches Association of Nigeria, the League bodies and the Nigeria Referees Association.
The position has further weakened the campaign by a section of State FA chairmen who have been advocating for a Caretaker Committee following the mass resignation of members of the NFF leadership and the resignation of the General Secretary.
A major issue in the debate is the FIFA Statutes. Unlike a Normalization Committee, which is a recognised mechanism used by FIFA in exceptional circumstances to restore the proper functioning of a member association, the term “Caretaker Committee” is not provided for in the FIFA Statutes.
The distinction is significant because FIFA places considerable emphasis on the autonomy and statutory governance of its member associations. Any transitional arrangement therefore has to be consistent with FIFA’s regulations and the statutes governing the affected football association.
The latest consultations suggest that the Normalization Committee option may be gaining wider acceptance among the stakeholders, particularly as FIFA and CAF seek a solution that can restore stability, review the federation’s governance structure where necessary and create the conditions for a credible return to elected football administration.
The FIFA and CAF delegation is expected to continue its consultations this (Tuesday) morning with members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), as well as some former NFF presidents and former General Secretaries.
The delegation is also scheduled to hold a final meeting with the National Sports Commission before concluding its visit to Nigeria and returning to FIFA headquarters in Zurich.
The outcome of the consultations is expected to provide greater clarity on the next step for the NFF and the framework that FIFA and CAF will recommend for resolving the current leadership crisis.
For the moment, the balance of stakeholder opinion and FIFA’s established governance framework appear to favour a Normalization Committee over the Caretaker Committee being proposed by some State FA chairmen.
