By Salisu Baso
The Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) has reassured all of good officiating at the ongoing Nigeria Football Premier League.
This was made known by the president of the association, Mr. Otunba Tade Azeez, saying the referees are mindful of the importance of good officiating at this crucial moment.
He said that the appointed officials have been charged to be fair and firm in their conduct of the matches.
One of the international women referees invited for the forthcoming WAFU arm of the African Women Club Championship, a Lagos-based Yemisi Akintoye would use the Enyimba vs Warri Wolves encounter in Aba as dress rehearsal before moving to Cote d Ivoire for the championship with the support of two strong hands on the lines; Mzulugha Philip of Benue and Yobe’s Hassan Dauda.
The crucial South East derby in Enugu, Rangers vs Abia Warriors would see Datom Dauda of Plateau council assisted by Salmanu Auwalu and Abba Abubakar of Kano and Bauchi councils respectively.
The refereeing team is supervised by a former spokesman and Vice President of the NRA, FA Yusuf as assessor.
In Markurdi, another FIFA referee, Ahmed Rabiu of Kano has other assistants to work with under a retired woman FIFA referee, Hadiza Musa as assessor in the Lobi vs Heartland game.
The top of the bill cracker in Uyo where a former council chairman of Lagos State, Prince Bashiru Kosoko is the assessor, a top army officer, Brigadier General Fawole O of the Kaduna council was appointed to blow the whistle, while other FIFA referees Peter Ogwu and Abdulmajeed Olajide would take charge of the flags on the lines as Akwa clash with Nasarawa.
Another interesting game in the matches; Rivers vs Plateau Utd has the immediate past Vice President 2 of the NRA and SEMB chairman in Abia State, Chief Eke Onyeforo as assessor, while a top civil servant from Yobe council, Ahmed Lamido is the referee. The assistants are Kingsley Anyanwu of Imo and Marof Aromona of Lagos.
