Nigerian league suspended as refs begin strike

| credits: www.qpr.co.uk

The Nigerian league has been suspended following the boycott by referees from all matches organised by the Nigeria Football Federation. The referees said on Thursday that they have embarked on the strike action as a result of the crisis that has engulfed the Nigerian football.

The NFF crisis which began immediately after the Super Eagles lost out at the 2014 World Cup reached the peak on Tuesday when security operatives the detained the outgoing NFF president, Aminu Maigari; the General Secretary, Musa Amadu and chairman of the technical committee, Chris Green. Maigari and Green were held until the following day which prevented them from attending the general assembly held in Abuja on Tuesday.

A statement from the League Management Company chief operating officer, Salihu Abubakar, on Thursday read, “The decision is in the light of the notice of withdrawal of services by the Nigerian Referees Association which makes it impossible for us to organise games.”

The NRA notice signed by the secretary-general, Prince Moroof Oluwa, and addressed to the LMC Chairman read in part, “I have been directed by the Working Committee of the above named Association to inform you that, in view of uncertainty in the Nigeria Football Federation, the Nigeria Referees are hereby withdrawing its services with immediate effect from all matches organized by the NFF which includes the Nigeria Premier League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Nationwide League, Nigeria Women League and the Federation Cup pending when sanity is restored.”

The LMC reacted accordingly by suspending the league until the confusion is over. The LMC said the clubs and the sponsorship partners have already been advised of the development with clubs directed not to proceed to venues of their respective games until further communication.

Abubakar said “We have written to the general secretary of the NFF on this development and have also informed the clubs and our sponsors.

“We are already running a tight fixture schedule and are hoping that this crisis is resolved soon so the season can be concluded in time for our clubs to prepare for continental registration and participation”, the statement concluded.

But a faction of the NFF led by Chris Giwa said that the games must go on in a statement sent to media houses.

It read in part, “The Nigeria Football Federation has urged all stakeholders to discountenance a statement from the League Management Company that matches of the Nigeria Premier League are being suspended.

“It has come to our notice that the League Management Company has been issuing notices to clubs in the Premier League that matches are being suspended from this weekend.

“As the owners of the League, the Nigeria Football Federation is hereby making it clear that Premier League matches are not being suspended.”