The 78th Annual General Assembly and elective congress of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, are ongoing in Benin city, the Edo State capital.
An appeals court decision on Thursday cleared the path for the elections to proceed as originally planned after a judicial decision nearly put a stop to the event.
Ten people are vying to succeed Amaju Melvin Pinnick, the incumbent, including Seyi Akinwunmi, first vice president of the NFF, and Peterside Idah, a former international.
Gelson Fernandes, a former Swiss international and the head of FIFA’s African Development Programs, is also present at the occasion.
More representatives of the world football-governing body, FIFA arrived in Benin City just before noon on Thursday. Solomon Mudege, FIFA’s Head of Development Programmes for Africa and Gelson Fernandes, a former Swiss international player who is FIFA’s Director for Africa were in an excited mood.
Mudege said: “We are happy to be here and to witness another milestone in the history of Nigeria Football. We believe it is going to be an interesting Congress with the elections.”
Among the 10 persons jostling to succeed Amaju Melvin Pinnick as Nigeria football’s supremo are former vice presidents, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi (1st VP) and Mallam Shehu Dikko (2nd VP), as well as former Executive Committee Member and Chairman of Chairmen, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau and former Executive Committee Member, Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande.
There is also an immediate past General Secretary, Barr. Musa Amadu, and Head of Safety and Security of the Confederation of African Football, Dr. Christian Emeruwa.