The Forum of Nigerian football progressive forum stakeholders led by former chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Sportsn Hon. Geoffery Gayan has harped on the need to get the country’s football out of the woods by electing the right leaders to steer football administration in the country.
Mr. Chidi Okwonkwo, convener of the forum used the opportunity to appreciate the outgoing Nigeria football federation and urged the incoming to learn lessons mistakes of the past to improve on the successes .
Hon. Gaya also expressed excitement and confidence in the gathering and efforts by progressive football stakeholders to resolve the declining state of the nation's football game.
He called on the gathering to use the opportunity to implement the 10 year football plan of the country, imploring state FA chairmen to do their beats to ensure the success.
The 1st NFF vice president Seyi Akinwunmmi said the upcoming NFF elections is not a do or die event but rather a chance to unite stakeholders in the game and also implement the ten year football master plan.
He warned those peddling rumours of disunity in the football family to stop the trend as it will not do the nation any good despite the varioud interests aheasd of the NFF elections.
Akinwunmmi also called for the deliberate implementation of the action plan that will grow the nation's football while assuring that all efforts will be geared towards righting all wrongs of the past in terms allowing the state chairmen play their key roles in football administration in the country.
Another member of the NFF executive present Barr. Musa Ahmadu called for the football family to embrace the ethos of fair play as a way of ensuring progress in the game as only the values of integrity and fair play can safe the nation's football industry.
Ex-internationals Emmanuel Babayaro and Patrick Pascal, the Bauchi state football association chairman called for appreciation and inclusion of the media in the running of football administration in the country.
Babayaro expressed regret that the media has continually being short changed despite their prize-less contributions to the game for many years and warned that no progress would be made if the media is continually ignored.
He also warned that the round leather game can only be taken to the next level if the leaders of game learn to take in criticism and work with it.
On their part ,the Bauchi FA chairman Patrick Pascal called for all the state FA chairmen to vote for the right person ahead of the NFF election as those of Delta ,Sokoto and Kaduna lent their support towards electing the right set of NFF leaders without compromise.
Other stakeholders like Mrs. Magaret Eche commended the coming of the Nigeria football progressive forum at a time the up coming is at a time the NFF elections is approaching thus the need to elect the capable hands that can take Nigeria's football to the next level.
Saving Nigeria’s most loved sport football is a clarion call that must be achieved according to all the stakeholders at the Nigeria football progressive forum.