The governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has praised President Bola Tinubu for taking practical measures to reform the country’s sports sector, particularly by moving from a ministerial system to progressively implementing judicial commissions.
Diri said this when he declared the 2026 Extraordinary General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation in Yenagoa open, according to a Tuesday statement posted on the state government Facebook page.
The governor, represented by his deputy, Peter Akpe, was optimistic that the National Sports Commission would enhance sports administration, bring governance closer to athletes, and improve overall performance.
Key federal interventions, as mentioned by the governor are the rehabilitation of the National Sports Institute and ongoing renovation works at the national stadium in Abuja.
He stated that the Abuja stadium had been neglected for an extended period, but recent developments revealed a positive trend.
During his speech, Mr Diri reiterated Bayelsa’s dedication to sports development and disclosed that the state was constructing a 30,000-seat stadium in Igbogene, which would be up to the FIFA standard.
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He said the project was to make the state a centre for both domestic and foreign sporting events.
He said his government was working towards organising competitions by international football clubs, and emphasised the importance of developing world-class infrastructure for sports to sustain growth.
Shehu Dikko, the National Sports Commission’s Chairman urged the delegates not to prioritise personal interests over national interests.
Dikko urged for reforms that would ensure proper representation of key stakeholder groups such as players, coaches, referees, and club administrators, while also advocating for transparency in football governance.
The Nigeria Football Federation’s President, Ibrahim Gusau stated that the purpose of the extraordinary meeting was to address critical development issues and establish the groundwork for the federation’s elective congress.
The state government was praised for hosting the event, FIFA and the Confederation of African Football expressed their support by sending goodwill messages to all parties involved in supporting the federations’ processes.
Bayelsa Sports Commissioner Daniel Igali, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and chairmen of state football associations across the country were among the top sports administrators invited to attend.
