The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has moved swiftly to distance itself from reports that it demanded the resignation of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, issuing a strongly worded denial after the claim triggered widespread reactions and ridicule among Nigerian football followers.
In a disclaimer published on its official X handle on Saturday, the NFF described the reports as “outright falsehood” and insisted that it neither asked nor is asking Infantino to relinquish his position as FIFA president.
“Contrary to reports, especially on social media, #thenff has never asked and is not asking for #FIFAcom President, Mr. Gianni Infantino to step down as FIFA PRESIDENT. This is outright falsehood. Kindly disregard,” the federation stated.
The clarification came at a time of growing international scrutiny of Infantino’s leadership of world football, particularly over controversial commercial and governance issues surrounding FIFA.
Reports of opposition to the FIFA president have generated divisions within international football circles, with some European football authorities reportedly taking a more critical position, while the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and several of its affiliates have continued to maintain close ties with Infantino’s administration.
The NFF’s decision to publicly disown the resignation claim, however, did little to calm its critics at home. Instead, the federation’s disclaimer became another target of anger, with Nigerians flooding the comment section to accuse the football body of being overly deferential to FIFA leadership.
For many of the federation’s critics, the controversy was not simply about whether the NFF had actually called for Infantino’s resignation. It was about the credibility of the organisation itself and whether Nigeria’s football administrators possess the moral standing to challenge powerful figures within the global game.
One X user, @HenryIkwunemere, sarcastically mocked what he perceived as the NFF’s loyalty to the FIFA hierarchy, writing: “We know you na. You would never. In fact, you would lay a comfortable bed and sleep with….”
Another user, @WallyTTweets, turned the criticism towards the NFF’s own record, arguing that the controversies surrounding Infantino appeared insignificant when compared with what Nigerians believe has gone wrong within the country’s football administration.
“Nobody expected you to, after all you are NFF. Whatever Infantino has done is child’s play compared to the… here in Nigeria. Stylishly using a debunk tactics to endorse,” the user wrote.
Expressing distrust in the federation, @SantosTHEBOSS added: “We would never believe any report that implies you were noble in the first place, no need for this rejoinder.”
Another user, @Dann_10, accused the NFF of attempting to remain in the FIFA president’s good books, while @oviomeze dismissed the development with a sarcastic remark: “If you did otherwise we’d be shocked.”
The backlash highlights the deep credibility crisis confronting Nigeria’s football administration, where even an official denial intended to correct misinformation can quickly become a source of public ridicule.
Rather than ending the controversy, the NFF’s statement has exposed the extent of the distrust between the federation and sections of the Nigerian football public. Critics appear less interested in the immediate question of whether the federation demanded Infantino’s resignation and more concerned about why they should believe the NFF when it speaks on issues involving football governance.
The episode also underscores a broader debate over Nigeria’s position within international football politics. While the country remains one of Africa’s biggest football nations by history, talent and public following, its football administrators continue to face intense scrutiny from supporters demanding greater transparency, accountability and independence.
For now, the NFF has made its position clear: it did not call for Gianni Infantino to resign and has no such demand.
But the angry reaction from Nigerians suggests that the federation’s bigger battle may not be with a viral report at all. It may be with a football public that has grown increasingly unwilling to accept official explanations without question.