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Despite the ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission EFCC in the Nigeria Football Federation on high level of corruption and abuse of office, the board of the NFF is allegedly planning to extend the controversial contract of the overstayed general secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.
The country’s apex football governing body is ready to go against the Civil Service rule as they are planning to grant the current general secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi a new contract that will run from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2027.
According to civil service rule, a contract appointment is a temporary appointment, non-pensionable and for a specific period whose duration should be one (1) or two (2) years, renewable but not exceeding four (4) years in total.
Dr. Sanusi was initially appointed as a contract staff of the federation, becoming the NFF Secretary General in 2015 for a four-year term.
His tenure was extended in 2019 for an additional five years by the former NFF board led by Amaju Pinnick. With his current tenure set to end this December, the NFF appears determined to approve a further extension.
Despite mounting allegations of corruption, mismanagement and nepotism during his ten-year tenure, Sanusi’s re-appointment has been championed by past and present NFF leadership under the guise of ensuring continuity.
However, critics and some stakeholders have argued that the move is driven more by personal and imperial selfish interest than the growth of Nigerian football.
It has come to light that Sanusi himself has been lobbying high-ranked government officials and traditional rulers to secure his contract extension, which reportedly comes with a monthly package of $10,000 dollars.
This lobbying and bribery efforts has raised questions about the transparency and integrity of the decision-making process of the NFF, especially that of the past NFF board led by Amaju Pinnick, where corruption and bribery were the order of the day.
On September 30, 2022, Ibrahim Gusau was elected the new president of Nigeria’s Football Federation (NFF), replacing long-term incumbent Amaju Pinnick which means the board has less than two years to vacate the office for a new board in year 2027.
