By Arinzechi Chukwunonso
The Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN) has thrown its full support behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to overhaul Nigerian football, while calling for players and other key stakeholders to be given a central role in the reform process.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, PFAN President Tijani Babangida (MON) said the association welcomed the resignation of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President and members of the Executive Board, describing the development as a response to the President’s call for comprehensive reforms in football administration.
PFAN said it has, for more than two decades, championed transparency, accountability and inclusive governance in Nigerian football, insisting that players—the “product and face of the game”—must have adequate representation in any new structure.
The association also expressed confidence in the National Sports Commission (NSC), under Mallam Shehu Dikko, to lead the reform process, while urging that any restructuring comply fully with CAF and FIFA statutes, good-governance principles and the autonomy of football administration.
PFAN further pledged to collaborate with the NSC, government agencies, CAF, FIFA and other stakeholders, stressing that its experience within and outside the pitch remains an important asset to Nigerian football.
While thanking President Tinubu for demonstrating what it described as the political will to “restore sanity” to the football ecosystem, PFAN appealed for fairness in the constitution and running of the NSC Board to prevent legal and administrative complications.
The players’ body concluded that Nigerian football deserves “a new dawn” and assured that its members are ready to play their part in rebuilding the sport.
