Former Nigerian Football Federation official Danladi Bako has called on Ibrahim Gusau and the entire NFF board to resign, arguing that the federation’s leadership has failed to provide the direction needed to revive Nigerian football.
Bako’s demand comes after a difficult period for the country’s national teams, with the Super Eagles missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons suffering a disappointing exit from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
In a strongly worded assessment, Bako said the continued stay of the Gusau-led administration was difficult to justify given Nigeria’s recent results.
He argued that the federation’s failures had become too serious to continue blaming coaches, players, playing surfaces or luck.
“No, it is sheer incompetence that produces these kinds of results.”
Bako said Nigeria’s inability to qualify for the 2022 and 2026 World Cups was particularly painful, especially after FIFA increased Africa’s allocation to 10 places for the 2026 tournament.
He contrasted Nigeria’s failure with the qualification of smaller nations, arguing that the country’s football administration should be held accountable.
Malam Danladi Bako is a former NFF Official, broadcaster and DG of National Broadcasting Commission, pioneered TV shows like Morning Ride and Master Sports.
According to Bako, Nigeria’s absence from the last two World Cups was not the result of FIFA sanctions or external interference but poor decisions within the country’s football administration.
He rejected the longstanding argument that government intervention in the NFF’s affairs could automatically result in a FIFA ban.
“Besides, technically we banned ourselves from the last two World Cups by installing poor leadership.”
Bako also called for a fundamental review of the NFF’s statutes and electoral structure, arguing that the system needs to give greater influence to the clubs that drive the professional game.
He specifically proposed greater voting rights for Nigeria’s Premier League clubs in the election of the federation’s executive board.
Bako questioned NFF’s accountability
The former FA chairman in Sokoto State also raised questions about the management of funds allocated to Nigeria’s national teams.
He recalled that President Bola Tinubu’s administration released ₦12 billion for Nigeria’s campaign at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, where the Super Eagles finished as runners-up.
Bako said the relevant authorities should be able to account for such funds and criticised what he described as a culture of secrecy surrounding the federation’s finances.
He also recalled his involvement in efforts to improve Nigeria’s international football fortunes during his time as producer of NTA’s Mastersports programme.
According to him, those efforts contributed to advocacy for an increase in Africa’s World Cup allocation, eventually helping create greater opportunities for African nations.
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Bako also expressed disappointment with the Super Falcons’ campaign at the 2026 WAFCON.
Nigeria’s title defence ended at the quarter-final stage, with the Falcons losing to South Africa and subsequently missing out on an automatic route to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
He described the result as embarrassing and criticised the team’s performances throughout the tournament.
Bako said the federation’s response should not be to shift responsibility to the coaching staff, players or circumstances.
He argued that the problems were structural and required stronger leadership at the top of Nigerian football.
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Bako believes reform of the NFF’s electoral system is central to changing the direction of Nigerian football.
He questioned the dominance of state football association chairmen in the electoral process, arguing that some are political appointees without sufficient football expertise.
He instead called for a system that gives greater weight to Premier League clubs and other key stakeholders in the professional game.
Bako also pointed to several former Nigerian football stars and administrators whom he believes should have greater influence in the running of the game.
He mentioned Felix Owolabi, Daniel Amokachi, Nwankwo Kanu and Segun Odegbami among those who, in his view, have contributed significantly to Nigerian football but remain largely outside its administration.
NFF president Ibrahim Musa Gusau previously said he is not under pressure despite Nigeria’s recent football setbacks as calls grow for accountability and reform ahead of the federation’s later cancelled September elections.
Bako ultimately called for the Gusau-led NFF board to resign rather than continue in office following Nigeria’s recent failures.
He argued that Nigeria’s football leadership should take responsibility for the country’s repeated inability to reach the World Cup.
He cited Italy’s football federation as an example of an administration resigning after failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, while noting that other national associations had similarly accepted responsibility after major failures.
Bako urged the relevant authorities to facilitate an orderly change at the NFF, arguing that Gusau and his board should leave office voluntarily.
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