Odegbami, Soname lead race to replace Gusau as NFF president

The race to lead Nigerian football has opened up following Ibrahim Gusau’s resignation as Nigeria Football Federation president on Thursday. Several names have emerged as contenders for the vacant office, or for a proposed interim normalisation committee, with the National Sports Commission understood to be weighing its options, PETER AKINBO writes

Kunle Soname

Kunle Soname, the founder of Bet9ja and owner of Nigeria Premier Football League champions Remo Stars, is being touted by sections of the football community as a possible candidate and frontrunner. The 60-year-old became the first Nigerian to own a European club when he acquired Portuguese side Clube Desportivo Feirense, in addition to the second-tier outfit Beyond Limits and Remo Stars Ladies.

Under his ownership, Remo Stars won their first NPFL title in the 2024/25 season, and government officials have repeatedly cited the club as a benchmark for private investment in the domestic game. Soname was also a former chairman of a local government area in Lagos State.

His case rests on his record of building sustainable footballing infrastructure with his own resources, something the NFF has historically struggled to do, though he has no prior experience running a national federation.

Mike Emenalo

Mike Emenalo, a former Super Eagles defender with 14 caps, spent 10 years at Chelsea, rising from chief scout to technical director, and was central to the transfer dealings that brought players such as Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante to Stamford Bridge during a period of major trophy success.

He later worked as sporting director at AS Monaco before becoming, in July 2023, the first director of football of the Saudi Pro League, a post from which he stepped down in June 2026 after helping to oversee the league’s recruitment of global stars.

Emenalo’s administrative pedigree at the highest level of European and Middle Eastern football makes him an attractive outsider candidate, though he has never previously worked within Nigerian football administration and has indicated a preference for a role closer to his family in Europe.

Amaju Pinnick

Amaju Pinnick, who led the NFF for two terms between 2014 and 2022, had previously ruled out a return to the presidency, telling News Central TV that although he remained young and capable at 55, he had no interest in seeking another term.

Reports nonetheless linked him to the proposed interim normalisation committee following Gusau’s departure, though it was subsequently reported that his involvement was rejected by officials within the Presidency.

During his tenure, the Super Eagles finished runners-up at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, but the team also failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, and Pinnick later lost his seat on the FIFA Council by a single vote in 2025.

His case for a return centres on his international experience and familiarity with football’s governing structures, but he carries the baggage of a reign that ended amid criticism over qualification failures and governance disputes.

Seyi Olofinjana

Seyi Olofinjana, a former Super Eagles midfielder, previously turned down an approach to become the NFF’s technical director before Augustine Eguavoen took the role.

The 45-year-old has since built a varied administrative career, serving as Wolverhampton Wanderers’ loan and pathway manager, sporting director at Grasshoppers Zurich in Switzerland, and most recently as Chelsea’s talent management lead for Africa.

He also runs Imperial FC, a Lagos-based third division club credited with developing players including Taiwo Awoniyi.

Olofinjana’s supporters point to his blend of elite European club experience and grassroots investment in Nigerian talent as a rare combination, though he has previously shown reluctance to take on NFF roles directly.

Chikelu Iloenyosi

Former Super Eagles defender Chikelue Iloenyosi currently chairs the Anambra State Football Association, having been re-elected unopposed in 2026.

He also serves as Board of Trustees chairman of the All Nigeria Football Players Union and has declared for the NFF’s South East board seat, drawing endorsements from Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo and former Guinea-Bissau federation president Manuel Nascimento.

Iloenyosi’s case rests on his grassroots administrative record and regional backing, though he has faced questions over an earlier reported endorsement of Gusau’s re-election bid, which he has since publicly distanced himself from.

Segun Odegbami

Segun Odegbami, captain of Nigeria’s Green Eagles when they won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the NFF.

Odegbami had called on President Bola Tinubu to halt the federation’s elective congress, scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State, and threatened court action to stop it.

He argues that Nigerian football’s problems date back decades and cannot be solved by another election under the current congress structure, which he says is skewed in favour of incumbents.

While Odegbami has not formally declared candidacy for the presidency itself, his standing as a football icon and his sustained campaign for reform have placed his name firmly in the conversation, even as some state football association chairmen have pushed back against his call to suspend the polls.

Meanwhile, the National Sports Commission had reportedly settled on a three-month normalisation committee to run Nigerian football ahead of a fresh election, but the identity of who will lead it remained unconfirmed as at the time of writing.