By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Sept. 14, 2023 (NAN) Some football stakeholders have blamed maladministration and corruption in the country’s elite league for the non-recognition of Nigerian Referees by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the continent’s football ruling body excluded Nigerian Referees from the list of officials at the forthcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire.
This was confirmed after CAF published a list of officials for the tournament on its website on Tuesday.
CAF unveiled a total of 85 referees, comprising center referees, assistant referees, Video Assistant Referees (VARs), technical instructors, physical trainers, VAR technicians, and IT support for a preparation course.
According to a document titled, “List of Selected Referees to AFCON Preparation Course”, referees from about 25 countries were listed to take part in the course.
The course is expected to serve as a refresher for AFCON 2023 officiating officials.
However, no Nigerian referee was included on the list.
A cross section of football stakeholders who spoke to NAN in Abuja on Thursday said the issue of maladministration and corruption by the previous league board and management was largely responsible for CAF’s snub.
They said the issue was a source of concern and therefore one that calls for an emergency meeting by all football stakeholders.
Mouktar Mohammed, the FCT FA Chairman said the issue was a serious concern and one that calls for immediate attention and soul searching by all concerned stakeholders.
“The referee body has a leadership and representation at all levels of football.
“So, I think they should ask very strong questions as to why they are not among on the continent for such important assignments.
“Clearly there is concern among Nigerians and all football stakeholders. We should see our referees participating and growing in the game.
“We are a football powerhouse and also the most populous in Africa,” he said.
Mohammed stressed that the issue was one which calls for a state of emergency.
He said not to see any Nigerian name on the AFCON list was a disgrace to Nigeria football.
The FCT FA boss however said he was sure that the NFF President would ask questions and act appropriately.
Former Chairman of Gombe State Football Association (FA), Gara Gombe noted that Nigerian referees had improved over the years.
Gombe however said they still have alot to do if they expect positive results and recognition by both the World and Africa Football ruling body.
“The stories coming out from our league year in year out with controversial decisions, corruption allegations, inconsistent management of the league, match-fixing allegations, to mention a few are doing more harm than good.
“For instance, one Auwal Baba Jade made a revelation about match-fixing in the league and he is a member of the board managing the league and no one cared to look into the issue.
“Imagine that someone known for fixing matches instead of being reprimanded was rewarded with a membership in the board to manage the same league,” he said.
He noted that the issue of non-payment of referees allowances was also an issue, adding that referees are owed for two to three seasons without being paid allowances.
He wondered how products from such a system could be respected.
“Match appointments are based on who you know.
“Clubs choose their match officials and if you don’t have money, you can’t win the league or even a match.
“Clubs invest on referees instead of good players,” he said.
He stressed that all these shameful acts going on the league were very much glaring and in the media space with the world reading and watching clearly.
He said even if all these reports were mere allegations, there was a need to still investigate them.
The former FA Chairman said another factor was that Nigeria is totally cut off from the continent’s football politics.
He said that the country will continue to face discrimination and even conspiracy as long as we fail as a football giant to become relevant and participate fully in Africa’s football politics.
“On the local scene too, since the death of Col. Yoro Yabilsu, Nigerian referees have become orphans.
“During Yabilsu’s time, if you owe referees for three matches, there will be no league.
“Any assult on a referee by any club, that club or league ends that day.
“It is unfortunate that the quality of leadership in the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) has diminished since his death,” he said.
He added that the NFF also has to do more, adding that it appears what is happening was a non-issue to them.
He said that there was a need for a policy analysis dialogue on refereeing in Nigeria, adding that refereeing must be seen and taking seriously as a profession.
Harrison Jalla, the Chairman of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN) Task Force noted the country’s league was marred by so much irregularities during the era of the previous NFF and league management board.
“It is the consequences of corruption and maladministration of the previous Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the League Management Committee (LMC) boards.
“There were very clear cases of strong alleged connivance between top officials of the league and clubs to trade off the league titles even before the start of every league seasons in the past.
“The referees are compromised under such circumstances. The referees themselves are not independent so it makes them to be always at the whims and caprices of the notorious NFF referees committee,” he said.
Jalla noted that no quality referee can emerge under such circumstances, adding that the issue was the bane of high performance referees in Nigeria.
He said that even CAF was no stranger to what is happening in the Nigeria leagues, saying that it wasn’t the first time the body was snubbing the NPFL referees.
“They very well know that we don’t have quality referees.
“Even the players union reported several cases of match fixing to the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) with concrete evidence in the past but nothing was done.
“Having said that, I believe there is hope in the horizon from what we saw in the performance of NPFL referees last season.
“So, let’s hope we will build from there,” he said.
Patrick Ngwaogu, Former FCT FA Vice Chairman said the issue of excluding Nigerian Referees from major FIFA and CAF tournaments was not all about performance, but projection.
“Yes, we have good referees that can stand out among the best in the world, but those that are shortlisting them, are they doing the right thing?
“Many of the best referees are not always shortlisted.
“Usually when the time comes, it is then that we bring all the ethnic and religious bigotry into place, and deprive the good ones the opportunity,” he said.
He explained that the leadership of the Nigeria Referees Association had little or nothing to do with the shortlisting of Referees.
He stressed that the duty of shortlisting referees was the sole responsibility of the NFF Referees’ Committee.
“It is whoever that they present to FIFA that are badged.
“So, the question we should be asking now is if those they present regularly meet all the criteria outlined by FIFA.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” he said.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
