What is the situation with the petition against DR Congo? Nigeria remains a huge joke! The Nigeria Football Federation, after failing to qualify back-to-back for the 2022 and 2026 World Cups—due mainly to administrative lapses, gross incompetence, and corruption, despite the ten qualification slots offered to Africa—attempted, in a failed bid, to divert the attention of football-loving Nigerians and the Federal Government. The NFF concocted a fake petition against DR Congo, in which they alleged dual citizenship, amongst other accusations, against DRC players, and submitted it to FIFA.
The so-called secret petition was intentionally filed out of time, sent to the wrong email address, and with no protest fees paid. The clear intention was to deceive the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Nigerians in general into believing that Nigeria would qualify for the World Cup through a petition that the petitioners knew very well was not properly before FIFA. Surprisingly, the National Sports Commission, through its Chairman, sustained this narrative to Mr. President and the nation.
Where is a copy of the petition? Who filed it? Where is a copy of FIFA’s response? Where is the copy of the petition to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)? Meanwhile, DR Congo has moved on to qualify for the World Cup through the playoff against Jamaica.
In saner climes, it is a criminal offence for a public office holder to lie to the public. But in Nigeria, there are no consequences. As serious as this issue is, nobody in the Assembly or the one-member Congress could raise a finger to question this shameless action in Yenagoa. What we saw instead was a vote of confidence to return a defective structure. We shall see how long you guys will continue to hang on to power and where you derive the locus to continue to exclude others.
Prince Harrison Jalla
Chairman
Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Concepts
