Sports

Akinwunmi, Abba Yola, Leads in Race To Succeed Pinnick As NFF President

Published

4 years ago

August 1, 2022

By Akeem Busari

The pitch is getting higher and the pace, faster, as several Nigerian football stakeholders have thrown their hats into the ring, indicating their readiness to succeed incumbent NFF President Amaju Pinnick at the next NFF General Assembly tentatively slated to hold in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, August 13, 2022.

Ahead of the NFF Congress, the Nigerian football atmosphere is heated with lots of politicking, innuendoes and mudslinging happening. While some caucuses are not making their plans to nick the NFF President seat open, major stakeholders in Northern Nigeria, have openly showed their hands by calling a meeting for August 8, 2022, during the annual Sharif Ahlan Inuwa pre-season football tournament in Kano.

Several individuals have supposedly expressed their intentions to succeed the incumbent NFF President Amaju Pinnick at the next NFF General Assembly tentatively slated to hold in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. And it is not for nothing.

Like the honey is attractive to a bee, the allure of the office of NFF presidency has equally thrown up football administrators and former Nigerian players like Idah Peterside, Jonathan Akpoborie, Mallam Shehu Dikko, Ahmed Yusuf Fresh, Musa Amadu, Benedict Akwuegbu, Christian Emeruwa, Ibrahim Gusau, Mohammed Mouktar, Seyi Akinwunmi, Abba Yola and Daniel Amokachi.

In this special report, it is well to say this field of aspirants is interesting and attractive. However, the report here is focused on two of the most attractive aspirants with high chances of succeeding Amaju Pinnick. Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi and Alhaji Abba Abdulahi Yola.

Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi is the current 1st Vice-President of NFF and the Chairman of Lagos State Football Association. He has a track record of being one of the brightest brains in Nigerian football, and particularly, on the present NFF board. Akinwunmi is a great developer of grassroots football and responsible for the achievements of Nigerian youths football teams in recent times.

His mien and dispositions at all times portrays a classic gentleman with a focused mind on his set goals. Beyond everything else, he is a master strategist, who knows how to play the politics of the game, and win favours. He is, indeed, a strong candidate to succeed Pinnick.

Alhaji Abba Abdulahi Yola, is a former athlete and veteran sports administrator with several decades of impactful experience. Abba Yola, who is presently the Chief of Staff to Minister of sports, Sunday Dare, has been involved in activities and committees aimed at the development of Nigerian football. His desires to become the new NFF President is buoyed by his administrative experience, integrity, diligence and vast goodwill with a network of local and international brands garnered over several decades.

Many discerning Nigerian football stakeholders and aficionados believe he has the zeal and determination to change the narratives of Nigerian football and return the glorious days of Nigeria, as one of the best football countries in the world. In the search for a credible, honest, patriotic, responsible and experienced NFF President, Abba Yola, stands tall. Much more, his ability to create a synergy and harmonious relationship between government and Nigerian football, would be very instrumental to the desired goals for a better Nigerian football.

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Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

23 hours ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

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