By ORKULA SHAAGEE, Abuja –
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has charged the newly inaugurated Interim Management Committee (IMC) to ensure that the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) work towards returning the nation’s elite football league on television.
President of the NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, who gave the charge at the inauguration of the committee at the Federation’s secretariat in Abuja, also urged the panel to work on legal framework and commercialization of the League.
Gusau added that the body should also do all it takes to bring the League back on TV as well as reviewing club licensing.
He said: “A month ago, Federal Government declared LMC an illegal entity. We therefore had meeting where we resolved that the IMC should be inaugurated with defined Term of Reference.
“Former DG of NSC, Gbenga Elegbeleye is the Chairman of the Committee while Davidson Owumi becomes the Secretary.
“The Committee is charged with the responsibility of running the League and should make sure that the League regain its glory, work on the legal framework that will make one of the best in Africa. The League Calendar should be in consonance with the rest of the World.
“Club Licensing must be reviewed while making sure that players are paid as and when due. The Committee must work on bringing the League back on television so that Nigerians will watch the League Stars from the comfort of their homes,” he said.
Responding, Chairman of Committee, Hon. Elegbeleye said the task is enormous but not insurmountable.
He said the challenges facing the league are caused by everyone involved and should be solved by putting all hands on the deck. He assured Nigerians that the League will be back on television.
He urged the match officials to be fair while discharging their duties such that matches will be won on merit.
A former Director General of National Sports Commission (NSC), Gbenga Elegbeleye was inaugurated as Chairman, Davidson Owumi was named as Secretary, while Ayo Abdulrahaman was appointed as the Deputy Secretary of the IMC.
It would be recalled that In September, 2022, the Federal Government declared the defunct League Management Company (LMC) illegal and ordered the NFF to withdraw the operating Licence from LMC.
DISCLAIMER
The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.
Leave a Reply