THE Senate has expressed its disappointment and dismay over the dismal performances of Nigeria’s Soccer teams, from the Super Eagles’ failure to feature in the 2026 FIFA World Cup to the Super Falcons’ non-qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Senator Abdul Ningi, Bauchi Central, has, against this backdrop, held an emergency meeting with the Chairman of the National Sports Commission ( NSC) , Shehu Dikko and the President of the Nigeria Football Federation ( NFF) , Ibrahim Musa Gusau, presided over by Senator Abdul Ningi ( Bauchi Central) in his capacity as Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting which took place in his office , Senator Ningi who explained that the meeting was called at the prompting of the President of the Senate , Senator Godswill Akpabio, said, ” I have the authority of the Senate President on this very important meeting who recently asked me that Senator Ningi, what is happening in sports, what is happening in football?’
“So this meeting was a preamble to the explanation I will offer the Senate when it reconvenes next month on the state of Sports and, in particular, Football in Nigeria today and steps being taken to reposition it for better results.”
Ningi, who stressed the need for NSC and NFF to close ranks for better performances by Nigerian teams at the world stage, emphasized at the meeting and commitments already being made in that respect, said, “I called them to close ranks, that is , the Nigerian Football Federation and the National Sports Commission because as it is today, they are wide apart. They are heading for a meeting probably in the Villa. So, for now, it’s work in progress.”
According to Ningi, the meeting was summoned to unravel reasons behind dismal performances of Nigerian football teams in recent times despite enormous motivational packages given by President Bola Tinubu to both players and officials .
He said : “Recall, in a very long time, the government never compensated sportsmen and women, but the president, in his magnanimity, dished out a hundred thousand (dollars) each to players and officials, and what more will you need from a nation that is battling with the lives of over 220 million Nigerians?
“I thought the president had done all that he could in motivating them. As the chairman of the Senate committee, I’ve seen that the president has almost quadrupled the sports ministry’s budget.
“Then what other motivation does a player or officials need? We were all pained when we couldn’t be in the World Cup in the United States and further pained by the failure of Super Falcons to make it to Brazil next year “, he lamented .
He, however, said despite calls for the disbandment of NFF by some concerned football enthusiasts in the country , the Senate, along with other critical stakeholders , will ensure that whatever action is taken falls within the limits of the law .
“My concern is that whatever action we must do, we must do it within the limits of the law.
We must look at our laws, and we must also look at the FIFA statutes”, he said.
