Patrick Odogwu' Ngwaogu 

Abuja

After months of bitter infighting, parallel congresses, and mutual suspensions that paralyzed football governance in Abia State, peace has finally returned to the Abia State Football Association (FA), thanks to the decisive intervention of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) led by its President, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau.

The crisis began on November 18, 2024, when some members of the Abia FA Executive Board held a self-declared meeting and passed a vote of no confidence on the FA Chairman, Rev. (Dr.) Obioma Onyeaghala, accusing him of corruption, abuse of office, and unilateral decisions. The group claimed support from major stakeholders, including Enyimba FC, Abia Warriors, Abia Comets, Right2Win Sports, and associations of players, coaches, and referees.

Among the allegations leveled against Onyeaghala were:
    •    Failure to convene official board or congress meetings.
    •    Dismissal of the substantive FA Secretary and appointment of a relative.
    •    Using a personal bank account for official FA transactions.
    •    Suspension of referees’ officials without due process.

In retaliation, Rev. Onyeaghala convened his own extraordinary congress on December 3, 2024, where he reaffirmed his mandate and suspended eight executive members, including Vice Chairman Okechi Ubani, for forgery and misconduct. The Onyeaghala-led congress cited Articles 14 and 5 of the Abia FA Statutes as legal backing and declared that the impeachment document was fraudulent and never originated from a valid congress.

The opposing factions sent conflicting communications to the NFF Secretariat, creating confusion and leaving the state’s football community, including over 40 NLO clubs, in a leadership vacuum. There were even unverified claims of threats to lives during the peak of the conflict.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the NFF leadership under President Ibrahim Gusau acted. On May 5, 2025, the NFF sent a letter to the Abia FA announcing a Fact-Finding Mission. The delegation, headed by NFF First Vice President Felix Anyansi-Agwu—himself an Abia indigene—included Alhaji Sheriff Inuwa Allan, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, and Alhaji Ali Abubakar Mohammed.

Their meetings, held on June 9 and 10, involved the FA Executive Board, Congress members, and other stakeholders. Following exhaustive consultations, the delegation reached several key findings:
    1.    No legitimate elections were held in the 17 LGAs of Abia to constitute the local football councils that formed the FA congress, which invalidated the foundation of the current FA leadership.
    2.    The purported impeachment of Rev. Onyeaghala and the mass suspensions were found to have violated proper procedure and football statutes.
    3.    The removal of the FA Secretary and the Referees Council leadership also failed to follow due process.
    4.    The crisis had severely hampered football development and fractured relationships among key actors in Abia football.

In a pragmatic move to restore stability and protect ongoing development, the NFF delegation made the following resolutions:
    •    All suspensions and impeachments were nullified; the FA was directed to return to the status quo ante.
    •    The suspended Referees Council executive was reinstated immediately.
The suspended FA Secretary and his Assistant were to be immediately reinstated. 
    •    The current FA Executive Board, having emerged from a flawed process involving improperly constituted congresses, would be allowed to complete their tenure, after which fresh elections would be conducted across the 17 LGAs.
    •    The FA was instructed to tender an unreserved apology to stakeholders harmed during the crisis.
    •    A three-month probation period was granted to monitor compliance, harmony, and genuine commitment to peaceful administration.

This decisive action by the NFF, steered by President Ibrahim Gusau, has been widely praised by stakeholders for its balance, fairness, and focus on long-term reforms. The intervention not only quelled a looming administrative collapse but also paved the way for renewed cooperation and unity in Abia football.

With the storm now calmed, the spotlight returns to the pitch—where the beautiful game belongs.