The Nigeria National League (NNL) is gearing up for its second stanza with a promise of fairness and vigilance from its leadership. Led by veteran journalist George Aluo, the NNL board is determined to uphold integrity and discipline within the league as teams prepare for the upcoming phase set to commence early next month.
At a recent media parley held at the NNL secretariat in Abuja, Yakubu Sarma, Chairman of the league’s Disciplinary and Organising Committee, reaffirmed the commitment to maintaining a level playing field. Sarma, who also chairs the Gombe State Football Association, underscored the board’s zero-tolerance stance towards hooliganism while urging clubs to adhere strictly to the rules during the crucial second stanza of the ongoing season.
“We know that we have a lot of work to do when the second stanza gets underway and we are prepared for it,” Sarma stated.
“In the first round, the Disciplinary and Organising Committee ensured that protests brought before it were looked into fairly and quickly too.”
Reflecting on the disciplinary actions taken in the initial phase, Sarma highlighted the board’s proactive measures in addressing misconduct. “We meted out sanctions to erring clubs and recommended to the appropriate bodies referees and match commissioners that didn’t live up to expectation,” he explained.
Anticipating the competitive intensity of the upcoming matches, Sarma emphasized the need for heightened vigilance. “In the second stanza, we are going to be on top of the situation because we know how desperate clubs can be to either be on top or to escape relegation,” he added. Sarma assured all clubs of the NNL’s commitment to fairness and urged compliance with regulations.
“We will be firm and fair to all the clubs. We just appeal to them to play according to the rules because we will not compromise if any club falls short, especially when it comes to the issue of hooliganism,” he asserted.
The decision to delay the kickoff of the NNL second stanza by two weeks, originally scheduled for last weekend, was made in response to requests from clubs seeking additional time for preparation ahead of the season’s concluding leg.
