Mikel Calls for NFF Board’s Resignation Over Nigeria’s World Cup Failures

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has called for the resignation of the current Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board, led by Ibrahim Gusau, accusing the leadership of lacking the ideas needed to move Nigerian football forward.

Mikel’s position follows mounting pressure from football stakeholders and Nigerians for the NFF board to step aside after a series of disappointing performances by the country’s national teams.

The former Chelsea midfielder said Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the last two FIFA World Cups was unacceptable and warned that the country could not afford to suffer a similar setback for a third consecutive tournament.

Speaking on Joy Sports’ podcast in Ghana, Mikel said there was a need for changes within the NFF to ensure that competent individuals capable of developing Nigerian football were put in charge.

He argued that the objective should be to rebuild the country’s football structure, improve results and restore Nigeria’s position as a leading football nation in Africa.

The latest controversy was heightened by the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The setback followed earlier failures by the Super Eagles, Flying Eagles and other Nigerian teams to secure qualification for their respective World Cup competitions.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that the Federal Government has been pushing for the resignation of the NFF board as part of efforts to restructure the administration of football in the country.

However, members of the board have reportedly resisted calls to resign. A source within the NFF claimed that eight board members were summoned to the Presidency but declined an alleged request to resign.

According to the source, only seven members were allowed into the premises because the name of the Akwa Ibom State Football Association chairman was reportedly not included on the list of those invited.

The source further claimed that the officials left after a brief interaction, saying they were not convinced that resignation was the purpose of the meeting.

An official of the National Sports Commission, however, said the Federal Government’s position was aimed at achieving a more effective administration of Nigerian football and was not motivated by a desire to witch-hunt members of the NFF board.

The official said that should the board leave office, the NFF secretariat could operate on an interim basis while the administrative structure of Nigerian football is reviewed.

The development has intensified the debate over the future of football administration in Nigeria, with Mikel and other stakeholders demanding fundamental changes to restore confidence, improve development and ensure that the country’s national teams return to the global stage.