Agara Thumbs Up NNL on Relegation playoff

Chairman of Nigeria’s Nation-Wide league Board (NLO), Honourable Silas Agara has given a pat on the back to the Nigeria National League (NNL) after last week’s relegation play off in Kano.

Agara who was in Kano and watched the last match of the NNL play off noted that there is a lot the various league boards can achieve in common.

The former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State said he is impressed with what he saw in Kano, especially the level of officiating and the quality of play by the teams.

“I am impressed with what I saw here in Kano, our league is getting better and moving forward there is a lot we can achieve in common. The various league boards will work together and it is in that spirit of togetherness that I decided to be in Kano to be part of the NNL relegation play off.”

Agara who also held the position of Commissioner for Sports in Nasarawa state was equally delighted with the NNL choice to have the relegation play off hosted in Kano.

“It is also part of spreading the gospel of football nationwide. Kano is a huge place and the passion for the game here is overwhelming,” he noted.

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Adamawa Utd, Ikorodu City and Smart City also retains NNL Slot

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Three more teams on Thursday 10, August 2023 joined Sokoto United to keep their status in the Nigeria National League (NNL) at the end of the Relegation Play off in Kano.

Adamawa United claimed the second ticket from the Northern Conference after piping Sokoto United 1-0 to garner five points from a possible nine, Sokoto before the last games clinched the first ticket after two games with six points.

The match day three was played at the Mahaha Sports complex in Kofar Mata.

FWC Champions defeated ABS FC of Ilorin 2-1 at the Sani Abacha Stadium, to earn four points ,leaving ABS to finish the Play off with 1point only.

In the Southern Conference, Ikorodu City and Smart City all of Lagos kept their status intact.

Smart City humbled Henserd 2-1 to gain 6points in a last game decided at the Mahaha Stadium while Ikorodu City drew 1-1 with Edel FC to finish on same 4points but scaled through on a superior plus two goals difference.

Edel FC ended in 3rd place while the efforts from Henserd left them bottom of the log .

Final day results:

1. ABS FC 1-2 FWC Champions

2. Sokoto United 0-1 Adamawa United

3. Ikorodu City 1-1 Edel FC

4. Smart City 2-1 Henserd FC.

The complete list of twelve (12) teams that dropped to the Nation -Wide League One (NLO).

Kogi United, Green Berets, Police Machine FHQ, Ibom Youths; FC Ebedei, Joy Comeths, Go-Round FC ,Zamfara United.

Others are -ABS FC, Edel FC, FWC Champions and Henserd FC .

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Sokoto United First To Confirm Status in NNL

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Sokoto United First To Confirm Status in NNL as play off ends Thursday Sokoto United Football Club from the Northern Conference of the Nigeria National League,we can confirm have sealed their status in the Nigeria National League (NNL).The Caliphate Seat side did this in grand style after two victories in the ongoing Kano 2023 NNL relegation play off holding at the Sani Abacha Stadium,Kofar Mata stadium,Kano.The coach Alhassan Mohammed men are safe with six unassailable points.In a five goal thriller on match day one,they defeated FWC Champions 3-2 for their first maximum points and sealed up 2-1 over ABS in a hard fought match.They would be “Playing for formality” according to coach Alhassan Mohammed against Adamawa United at the Kano Pillars Stadium,Sabon Gari ,in the last group games which will be played simultaneously Thursday afternoon same time ABS FC of Ilorin will be battling FWC Champions at the Sani Abacha Stadium,Kofar Mata .Aside Sokoto United who have punched their tickets to remain in NNL with one match left, Adamawa United on two points ,ABS FC 1 point and FWC Champions 1 point have chances of clinching the second slot to stay put in the most important league.In the Southern Conference the identity of the teams to stay or drop to the 3rd tier Nation-Wide League One (NLO) will be cleaely know on last day games Thursday 10 August,2023.Ikorodu City, Henserd, Smart City and Edel FC all have equal Chances of picking any of the two tickets to stay in NNL.Each of the teams have won a game each, leaders on goals difference of +2 ,Ikorodu City will confront Edel FC who have minus two at the Sani Abacha stadium,3:30Pm, while Smart City who have minus one will challenge in the final showdown with Henserd who are 2nd on the log with plus one ,same time at the Kano Pillars Stadium,Sabon Gari.The battle line is drawn ,serious war in both centers.

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courtesy visit to Alh. Ibrahim Galadima

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A courtesy visit to Alh. Ibrahim Galadima former President NFF and current Chairman Kano State Sports Commission at his residence by the Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Attah and the Chief Operating Officer Emmanuel Adesanya. He pledged his support for NNL relegation playoff and pray for it success.

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Board Allays Fears Over Diphtheria Disease In Kano

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The Nigeria National League (NNL), has dismissed as spurious news of the spread of Diphtheria disease in Kano, venue of it’s eight-team relegation play off which kicks off this weekend.

Shortly after the government of Kano State graciously gave the nod to host the NNL relegation play off at the Sani Abacha Stadium, unconfirmed reports made the rounds that the disease has engulfed the entire Kano State.

NNL Chairman George Aluo said the news is false noting that he personally made effort to confirm the safety of hosting the play off in Kano and that his inquiries from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has shown that Kano is safe.

“We are in touch with the NCDC to get the right information on the situation and there is no such censor that we should not go to Kano.”

“We even kept touch with the Police Commissioner in Kano CP Mohammed Usani Gumel and we were assured of our security and safety.”

“Our advanced party led by NNL Chief Operating Officer (COO) Emmanuel Adesanya who is working with the Local organizing committee for the success of the play off are on ground and have also allayed any sort of fears.”

“No state of health emergency has been declared about Kano and it is only normal we place the facts on the table. The NNL relegation playoff will go on as scheduled. We have put logistics in place and thanks again to His Excellency, the governor of Kano State Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf for investing in the NNL.”

The eight teams billed to feature in the play off will arrive the ancient city of Kano Saturday 5th of August ahead of the draw which holds on Sunday 6th with the games starting the next day Monday 7th.

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MatchRoom Sports and Media Development Agency Appointed as Brand Consultant

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Leading Sports Public Relations (PR) and brand development Agency, Match Room Sports and Media, has been appointed as strategic Brand Consultant by the Nigeria National League (NNL)

MatchRoom Sports and Media Development Agency will deliver strategic consultancy as the NNL seeks to boost its brand profile amongst key stakeholders across the country.

Speaking on the development, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the NNL, Mr. Emmanuel Attah said: “Since the NNL board was constituted by the Nigeria Football Federation, we have been looking for partners to take the league to the next phase.

MatchRoom Sports and Media was identified as a key player to enhance our brand and we are satisfied with their approach so far”.

Reacting, Managing Director/CEO of MatchRoom, Ojeikere Aikhoje said: “This is an exciting partnership for us because MatchRoom provides strategic and creative thinking to help clients unlock the potential of their brands.

“We will sharpen the brand’s proposition, discover opportunities for the brand and make it meaningful to those that matter most.

“Our desire is to ensure the NNL inspires Nigerians and make a positive impact on society.”

The NNL hopes the appointment of MatcRoom Consults as brand consultant will further enhance the fortunes of the most important league in Nigeria.

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Relegation playoff set to begin in kano

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Eight teams are set to avoid the drop with the thrill of remaining in the Nigeria National League (NNL) .

Adamawa United, Abubakar Bukola Saraki(ABS) of Ilorin, Kwara State, Edel of Awka,Anambra State, FWC-Champions of Abuja, Henserd of Yenagoa, Bayelsa state; Ikorodu City(Lagos), Smart City (Lagos) and Sokoto United, second to the bottom after regular periods in the 2022/2023 season will compete for survival in the most important domestic football in Nigeria.

The Relegation Play offs offers a lifeline to the eight teams in each of the eight abridged divisions both in the Northern and Southern Conferences of the NNL.

It will be the most competitive survival battle of the season in NNL.

The battle ground is the 16,000 capacity Sani Abacha stadium, located inside the city, Festival road, Kofar Mata area of Kano, Nigeria’s commerce centre.

The stadium named after former Nigeria military ruler (Head of state) Late General Sani Abacha, is the home ground of Nigeria Premier league football outfit, Kano Pillars who just returned to the elite division after gaining promotion in the NNL Super 8 Play-Offs held at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta state last month.

The Sani Abacha stadium, now with artificial turf opened in 1998 has hosted Africa Cup of nation’s matches and the FIFA U-17 games.

The eight teams are expected to arrive the Groundnut Pyramid City of Kano on or before Friday 5th, August, 2023 with the draw scheduled to hold the next day .

Hostilities will begin on Monday 7th.
Four games will hold each of the three playing days, making a total of twelve matches in the relegation play offs.

The relegation play is crucial to enable the Nigeria National league conclude the number of twelve (12) teams to be dropped to the 3rd tier Nigeria domestic football league, the Nation-Wide (NLO).

The already relegated clubs are :
1.FC Ebedei-Shagamu (Ogun)
2.Go-Round, Omoku (Rivers)
3.Green Berets, Zaria (Kaduna)
4.Ibom Youths, Ikot-Ekpene (Akwa-Ibom)
5.Joy Comeths (Lagos)
6.Kogi United, Lokoja
7.Police Machine FHQ (Gombe), and
8.Zamfara United.

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Relegation Playoffs: Aluo Hails Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf

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The Board of Nigeria National League (NNL) has commended Kano State Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf for accepting to host the 2023 NNL playoffs scheduled to hold from August 6-10 at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.

Chairman of the NNL, George Aluo in a statement made available to the media on Tuesday, July 25, described the Kano state governor’s gesture as a huge boost for the development of the national league which remains the main foundation of Nigerian football.

According to the NNL boss, the governor by his gesture has demonstrated his passion for the growth of Nigerian football and sports in general.

“We, the board of the NNL want to thank the governor and good people of Kano state for accepting to host the 2023 NNL playoff in Kano. We are delighted to receive the huge support of the Kano state government in moving Nigerian football forward and we appreciate your support,” he said.

Eight clubs will be involved in the relegation playoffs which will determine the four teams that will remain in the NNL and the four teams that will be relegated in the Nationwide League.

“We’re happy that the 2023 NNL relegation playoffs will hold in Kano State with eight clubs participating to determine which of the four clubs will be relegated to the lower league,” NNL boss noted.

The eight clubs involved in play off are …ABS FC (Ilorin), Sokoto United FC (Sokoto), FWC Champions FC (Abuja), Adamawa United FC (Yola), Hensard FC (Yenagoa), Ikorodu United (Lagos), Smart City FC (Lagos), and Edel FC (Awka).

The board of Nigeria National League (NNL) has commended Kano State Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Abba Yusuf for accepting to host the 2023 NNL playoffs scheduled to hold from August 6-10 at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.

According to the NNL boss, the governor by his gesture has demonstrated his passion for the growth of Nigerian football and sports in general.

Eight clubs will be involved in the relegation playoffs which will determine the four teams that will remain in the NNL and the four teams that will be relegated in the Nationwide League.

The eight clubs involved in play off are …ABS FC (Ilorin), Sokoto United FC (Sokoto), FWC Champions FC (Abuja), Adamawa United FC (Yola), Hensard FC (Bayelsa), Ikorodu United (Lagos), Smart City FC (Lagos), and Edel FC (Anambra).

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NNL New Boss Pledges To Turn Things Around

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Newly appointed Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), Mr. George Aluo has thanked the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau for naming him and other members worthy of steering the ship of the nation’s second tier football league to new heights and territories.

Aluo, a veteran sports journalist told NNL Media shortly after the new NNL Board was inaugurated in Abuja, on Monday July 17, 2023 inside the Conference Room of the Sunday Dankaro Football House, MKO Abioala National Stadium, Abuja.

“I must thank Mr. President, Ibrahim Gusau in a special way for finding us worthy and capable of being given the mandate to be co-drivers of his vision of taking football in Nigeria, to the next level”.

“As a team, and individuals with integrity and uncommon passion for better and efficient management of our football, and by extension our leagues; we promise to work assiduously so as not to betray the trust you have invested in us, as a unit”, the NNL Boss added.

In his words; “the mandate is for us to run the NNL professionally”. So it will be business oriented and not business as usual. God being our helper, our guiding principle, is to insist on doing things right and differently, at all times.

He then pledged his loyalty and that of his board members to the Nigeria Football Federation; while promising to work very hard to realize the vision of its leadership, under Alhaji Gusau, in birthing a vastly improved and self sustaining league.

“It is the most important league, and we are willing to make that a practical reality”, he quipped.

As a team, we are committed to making the NNL very attractive for the corporate world, would be partners, the fans and everyone out there. So, we appeal to the business community to buy-into our reinvigorated league, and partner with us in advancing the fortunes of the NNL.

On officiating of matches in the NNL, Mr. Aluo said the new board under his watch is ready to apply all the necessary measures, with the aim of stemming the era of bad and incompetent refereeing. But clubs must also shun the erroneous impression that they must win at home, at all cost, even when it is glaring that they lack quality.

“We shall also be setting high standards with our match venues; as there shall be no more obscure venues. Teams in the NNL must accept hosting matches, in stadium that makes playing football attractive, he posited.

The New NNL board will therefore, be meeting for the first time on Tuesday July 18, 2023 to begin the herculean task of rebuilding and restructuring the Most Important league in Nigeria.

The board members are

1.Mr.George Aluo -Chairman

2.Hon. Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki -Vice Chairman

Other members .

4.Mr. Yakubu Sama

5.Mallam Sani Mohammed

6.Dr.Donald Ikpe

7.Chief Joseph Uzoma Ebowusim

8.Chief Dotun Sanusi

9.Mr.Emmanuel Attah -Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

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The New Boss At NNL, George Aluo

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After years of meritorious services rendered in the field of sports, mainly as a Sports Journalist, and a fringe sports administrator; Mr. George Aluo has been handed the task of breathing fresh air, in the management of the Nigeria National league.

Remarkably, he is expected to bring his wealth of experience, drive and expertise garnered in about three chequred decades in the field of sports to bear, as the helmsman of Nigeria’s most important domestic football league.

Only on Friday the Nigeria Football Federation made public the news of his appointment as the new Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL) a position last occupied by Senator Obinna Ogba.

It is therefore of essence, to properly introduce the man, who is saddled with the enormous responsibility of charting the way forward for the nation’s second tier league, the NNL.

Mr Aluo who holds a Masters degree in International Relations, obtained from the Lagos State University (LASU) hails from Imo State, South-East Nigeria.

As a veteran sports journalist, and renowned sports caster, Aluo is no doubt one of Nigeria’s most visible and versatile sports doyens. He is widely travelled and also has a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Public Relations from the Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Lagos .

His passion and knack for excellence, especially in everything sports, coupled with his proficiency, earned him official recognition and elevations to the post of Sports Editor at Champion Newspapers and Deputy Editor Sporting Champion.

His skill in writing sports, made him one of the old tasteful wines of his era, while his rich, indepth and balanced reportage stood him out.

At present, he is the main anchor of an independent sports show Sportsville, which is broadcast nationwide, every Sunday on Channels Television.He is also the publisher of an online tabloid,Newstap.com.ng

The fifty-three-year old George Aluo obtained his Higher National Diploma (HND) at the famous Federal Polytechnic, Nekede Owerri,Imo State.

He served as member Security Committee, when Nigeria hosted the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 1999; and was also a member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) World Cup and Media Committees, from 2014-2018.

Outside football, he has also served as a board member of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF).

As an elite journalist in Africa and world at large, Mr. Aluo is a member of Africa Sports Journalists Union (ASJU), the African arm of the AIPS, which is the global umbrella body for sports journalists; he has been of immense value to many sports federations in Nigeria, mentored a lot of up and coming sports journalists; while covering many national, continental and global sporting events.

Mr. George Aluo is committed to nation building in several facets, and his conviction that sports, especially football is a sure tool to gainfully engage myriads of youths in the country, and help in deepening national unity and cohesion, is unwavering.

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