By Victor Kanayo
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Thursday formally constituted the Board of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), more than ten years after the league was managed by proxy.
The official constitution of the League Board was made possible one season after an Interim Management Committee (IMC) was put in place by the current NFF.
LMC Tortuous Period
Before the emergence of the incumbent NFF led by Ibrahim Gusau, a League Management Company (LMC) had ran the league under eight years previous administration of Amaju Pinnick.
Though the LMC was later co-opted to be part of the NFF Executive Board, its activities later came under immense criticism following corrupt-infected decisions and executions of the country’s apex league body.
The LMC was then constituted from an interim arrangement by NFF Board before the emergence of Pinnick.
NPFL Board At Last
As against through election, the current NFF via a press statement, made available to Heritage Times HT, announced experienced sports administrator and former chairman of IMC, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, as Chairman of the new NPFL Board.
Elegbeleye, a former deputy chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Youth and Sports, and also a former Director-General of the National Sports Commission, headed the IMC that brilliantly executed the last NPFL season and and the Super 6, drawing high praise from the NFF and stakeholders in general.
“With Elegbeleye on the new NPFL board are Mallam Mohammed Nasiru Sa’idu (Member); Barr. Poubeni Ogun (Member); Mr. Daniel Amokachi (Member); Dr. Okey Kpalukwu (Member); Mallam Suleiman Umar (Member) and; Mr. Dominic Iorfa (Member).
“The Secretary/Legal Adviser is Barr. Danlami Ibrahim while the Chief Operating Officer is Prince Davidson Owumi.
“The new NPFL board has a two-year tenure, same as the boards of the Nigeria National League, the Nigeria Women Football League and the Nigeria Nation-Wide League One that were inaugurated on Monday,” the statement added.
NPFL Current Champions/Continental Reps
Enyimba FC won the 2022/23 football season after emerging tops at the end of a playoff, with Remo stars and Rivers United finishing first and second runners-up respectively.
The three clubs will now represent Nigeria at upcoming CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup.
