Exclusive: ‘How I’ll Revamp Nigerian Football When I Become NFF President’ –Uchegbulam

Chief Amanze Uchegbulam, one of the candidates vying for the office of Nigeria Football Federation President in the September 30 NFF Elective Congress has been touting
‘domestication of football statutes’, among other plans, as his master plan to transform Nigerian football for the better, Completesports.com reports.

Uchegbulam who is the Chairman of Imo State Football Association, stated this while speaking exclusively to Complete Sports in Owerri recently.

Chief Uchegbulam recently declared to contest for the presidency of the NFF. He believes that the domestication of the statutes will put an end to the series of litigations in court and give football administration in the country the desired conducive atmosphere.

”We need to domesticate our rules because that’s why we are having court matters every time. So we need to get the president to approve the statutes as a law governing football in Nigeria. That Law tells you that football matters do not go to court. That’s one of the key issues I want to drive,” Uchegbulam told Completesports.com.

The former NFF First Vice-President during the tenure of Alhaji Sani Lulu says that he has the capacity to turn the fortunes of Nigerian football around and re-enact that magic with which Nigeria is known for if elected as the Nigeria Football Federation President.

”When I was a member of Technical Committee of NFF under Chief Festus Onigbinde as chairman, we qualified Nigeria and had good showing at our first FIFA World Cup appearance,” Uchegbulam recalled.

”We raised the 1994, 1996, and the 1998 teams which till date remain our best teams. I will re-enact that magic and give Nigeria a Super Eagles we will all be proud of.

“It is time we put the administration of football in the hands of technocrats. Under my watch, Nigeria will develop and use local coaches. Enough of foreign coaches who are not on ground and don’t give good results.”

The former CAF Appeals Committee member also assures that if he becomes the NFF President, revitalization of U-13 and U-15 development program will be among his priorities, pointing out that the policy was established during Sani Lulu administration which saw the discovery of many talents including the likes of Kelechi Iheanacho.

”I have seen it all. I have worked with so many chairmen. This time around, everybody knows that our football has gone down. We need to bring our football up. The league is virtually moribond. The league is the core of football administration in any country,” he reilterated.

”The leagues; the NPFL, Nigeria National League, The NLO – we need to revive them.

“We need to make sure that we put in place what we call Association football. Association Football is football administration made up of affiliates. There are rules governing Association Football approved by FIFA. We need to follow the rules for the good of the game.”

Chief Uchegbunam who served in CAF for 12 years, reiterated his eagerness to implement the integrity rule of the NFF and ensure accountability in the running of Nigerian Football.

By Chigozie Chukwuleta, Awka

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