By our reporter 20.10.2026
Nigerian Football stars and legends continue to throw their weight behind Benedict Akwuegbu’s ambition of becoming the next Nigeria Football Federation NFF president.
Former Super Eagles stars, Friday Ekpo and Sanni Adamu are the latest to speaking in favour of their former national team colleague taking over the reins of Nigeria football administration.
Other veterans like Emmanuel Amuneke, Kanu Nwankwo, Sam Pam Jnr, Bitrus Bewarang, Mike Idoko, Godwin Uwua among others who have endorsed the former top scorer of Grazer AK of Austria and RC Lens of France.
Friday Ekpo a talented attacking midfielder said he has absolute confidence on Akwuegbu considering his playing and administrative experience.
The one-time star of defunct Abiola Babes FC of Abeokuta and Leventis United of Ibadan declared: “Akwuegbu has played football at World cup and Africa Nations Cup levels.
“He has been funding football clubs and Academies of his own for a long time. He is well educated and exposed, so there’s nothing he cannot achieve. He has a standard blueprint for grassroot development.
“Veterans like us have the belief that Akwuegbu can fix Nigerian Football. Politicians must give way to the true stakeholders to run our game. We have agreed to rally round our man who knows where the shoe pinches. True stakeholders should work towards total reforms that would guarantee a free and level playground “.
Also, Sanni Adamu who was splendid attacker of JIB Rocks and Plateau United FC of Jos stressed the need for top National Sports Commission and NFF officials to fully cooperate in setting up a credible NFF board: “Without mincing words many veteran football players are impressed with the track record of Akwuegbu but no official should scuttle our dreaming a genuine stakeholder head the NFF leadership. Genuine stakeholders are angling to support programs to reinvent our football.
“Doctors, Carpenters, Lawyers and Politicians should not be targeting to lead a Federation with footballers as major actors. Besides his B.Sc. Hon degree and further Health Science studies in Europe, Akwuegbu has proved a great manager of players and others.
“It’s obvious now that only credible ex-players can correct the several setbacks in Nigerian Football. Grassroot development, provision of standard coaching programs Proper accountability and proper involvement of credible stakeholders at right positions have been properly mapped out by Akwuegbu in his long-established trademark of taking everyone along,” said Sanni Adamu who was in the Golden Eaglets squad that won the maiden FIFA Under 17 World cup at China ’85.