NNL: Organisers reveal firm, fair stand ahead of second stanza

The board of the Nigeria National League led by veteran journalist, George Aluo, has vowed to be firm and fair to all clubs ahead of the league’s second stanza billed to get underway early next month.

This was was confirmed by the Chairman of the league’s Disciplinary and Organising committee, Yakubu Sarma, at a media parley held recently at the NNL secretariat in Abuja.

Sarma who is also the Chairman of Gombe FA said the NNL board has zero tolerance for hooliganism even as he urged clubs to play to the rule in the crucial second stanza of the on going season.

“We know that we have a lot of work to do when the second stanza gets underway and we are prepared for it. In the first round, the Disciplinary and Organising committee ensured that protests brought before it were looked into fairly and quickly too.

“We meted out sanctions to erring clubs and recommended to the appropriate bodies referees and match commissioners that didn’t live up to expectation. 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.

“We will be firm and fare 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. We want to play a league where fans will come to the stadium to enjoy themselves and accept whatever result that comes the way of the club they are supporting,” Sarma said.

It would be noted that the NNL second stanza which was to kick off last weekend was moved forward by two weeks at the behest of clubs who wanted more time to prepare for the concluding leg of the season.