Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has refuted reports suggesting he is seeking the chairmanship of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), now known as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), describing the claims as “fake news” circulated by unknown blogs.
In a statement posted on his verified X page on Thursday, Fani-Kayode clarified that he has never expressed interest in football administration and urged the public to disregard the rumours.
“It has been brought to my attention that fake quotes are being attributed to me by various unknown blogs claiming that I have an interest in being Chairman of the NFA and that I have now decided to step down from the race to support someone else. This is all fake news. I know nothing about the NFA, I have no interest in the NFA or who leads it, I have no interest in football and thankfully I have not been approached or nominated for such a position by anyone and if I had I would have respectfully declined,” he wrote.
Fani-Kayode emphasized that he is not a footballer and is indifferent to who leads the NFF. He warned the blogs spreading these stories to desist from attributing false quotes to him and urged the public to exercise caution, noting that only statements from his official website, verified X handle, or verified Facebook and Instagram pages are authentic.
The denial comes amid mounting criticism of the NFF as the Super Eagles struggle in their campaign to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, raising concerns about football leadership in Nigeria.
Ibrahim Gusau is the current NFF president, having won the election three years ago. His four-year tenure, which is renewable, has been marked by governance challenges and growing scrutiny over the national team’s performance.
