Irabor, Kanu to run Nigeria league

The changes in the Nigeria Premier League continues today (Friday) the Nigeria Football Federation releases the names of those appointed on an interim basis run the league until a new board is constituted. The NFF board was scheduled to meet on Thursday night to fine-tune the list and the draft terms of office before the names are made public on Friday.

The PUNCH learnt that a former member of the House of Representatives Mr. Nduka Irabor has been confirmed to serve as the chairman of the interim committee. Some other members of the committee include former Super Eagles captain and two-time African Footballer of the Year, Nwankwo Kanu. Former secretary general of the NPL Salisu Abubakar; former member of the NPL Shehu Dikko and Modele Sarafa-Yusuf are other members of the 10-man committee. Current acting Executive Secretary General Tunji Babalola will continue in his position.

It will be Kanu’s first foray into football administration but Irabor would be returning to the scene after overseeing the election that was meant to give Ibrahim Galadima a second term in office in 2005.

“The names have been carefully selected since the former board was confirmed sacked in Port Harcourt last week. Some names have come up and did not really fit in for the level of responsibility required and so were dropped. The NFF board will take a final look at this list which is believed to have general agreement of the members,” a senior football official in Abuja told our correspondent.

The committee is expected to run the league until the end of 2013. During this period, the members are to “reform and reposition” the league for proper growth in terms of administration, commercial viability and general reorganisation. They are also mandated to take final decision on the sponsorship of the league especially as it concerns the title sponsorship and broadcast rights. The league is running into its third season without any title sponsor after controversy and legal tussles truncated the bid carried out for the title sponsorship.

The league failed to kick off on December 1 as previously announced due to the crisis that engulfed the board. It is now billed to start in January just ahead of the club continental matches and the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.