Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Sani Abdullahi Lulu has explained why he declined to endorse a reform proposal presented by former federation officials to the FIFA and CAF governance assessment delegation in Abuja.

Lulu said his decision was not a rejection of reforms in Nigerian football but was based largely on what he described as shortcomings in the process through which the document was prepared and presented.

The former NFF president said he was neither adequately consulted nor given sufficient opportunity to study the recommendations before the proposal was submitted to the visiting FIFA and CAF delegation.  

He also questioned why recently resigned NFF president Ibrahim Musa Gusau and former Secretary-General Mohammed Sanusi were not part of the discussions.

According to Lulu, their participation would have allowed former NFF administrators to seek clarification directly from the duo about the circumstances surrounding their departures before considering major structural changes within the federation.

“My thought was that the immediate NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau, and his secretary-general, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, who just resigned their positions, would be part of the meeting and I would be able to ask personally, why did you resign?” Lulu said.  

Lulu said he had initially understood that former NFF officials would meet to deliberate on a common position before engaging the FIFA and CAF delegation.

He, however, alleged that the arrangement changed without his involvement and that he subsequently learnt that the other former officials had already met and reached decisions.

“I was there as the most surviving former NFF president and they gave me the impression that we were going to have a meeting before the meeting with the FIFA/CAF delegation,” he said.  

He further alleged that he was later provided only with the final page of the document, which had already been signed by several participants.

However, an unnamed former NFF secretary-general who attended the meeting disputed Lulu’s account, according to Blueprint. The former official reportedly said Lulu had been briefed and given opportunities to review the document, claiming that the position paper was sent to him on September 11 and again on September 13 for his input.  

The official also reportedly claimed that Lulu initially indicated he would sign the document after presenting his views to the FIFA and CAF delegation but later declined to endorse it.

Lulu maintained that his objection was about the procedure adopted in producing the document and not a personal disagreement with the other former officials.

The reform proposal reportedly included a six-month Normalisation Committee to oversee reforms before fresh elections, alongside proposed changes to the NFF Congress and increased representation for leagues, players, coaches, referees and grassroots stakeholders.  

Lulu said he was not opposed to reforms but wanted the process to be more inclusive and properly structured.

He also recalled his experience as NFF president, when he resisted pressure to leave office and subsequently challenged an attempted removal through the courts.

The former federation boss further rejected suggestions that his refusal to endorse the proposal was motivated by an ambition to return to the NFF presidency.

“There is nothing that will bring me back to NFF except 250 million Nigerians beg me. So, I remain and I am not interested in the NFF job again,” Lulu said.  

Lulu said he would have preferred the reform document to first be presented to National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko for discussion before any decision was taken on whether to endorse it.