As the 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL kicks off on Sunday, the Nigeria Referees Association, NRA, has said that members of the body listed for participation are turbo charged to do their best.
Speaking ahead of the kick, President of the NRA, Otunba Tade Azeez who spoke in Sagamu, Ogun state during the closing ceremony of the Pre Season Medical and Physical Fitness Test of Referees for the National League, Nationwide and Women Leagues disclosed that premier league referees and assessors have obtained the perquisite training to give teams, organisers and spectators a scintillating performance this season.
Otunba Tade Azeez who revealed that from the measures taken so far to put referees into good shape, what the association expects is the understanding of teams and their supporters that any team can win, draw and lose anywhere irrespective of home or away games.
“Referees are ready and in high spirit to deliver. What we need is the support of other stakeholders especially the clubs and their supporters to take outcome of matches without rancour.
“The NRA won’t tolerate where teams would resort to assaulting, harassing or intimidating referees because they want victory by all means. As usual, we won’t hesitate to do the needful if the lives of our members can’t be guarantied” Otunba Tade Azeez added.
He further added that based on the trending development in the referees’ circle, no listed referee would attempt to either mismanage or bring the game to disrepute as adequate sanctions shall follow those found wanting.
Otunba Tade Azeez wished all participants best of luck and journey mercies throughout the season.
In the opening game of the season, in Jos where the North Central derby between Plateau United and Lobi Stars, seasoned CAF and FIFA trained assessor, CC Chukwujekwu, Fifa rtd will be at a vintage position to jot notes of the performances of refereeing team led by Zamfara based Kassim Abdusalam assisted on the lines by Shittu Idris of Ogun and Hassan Dauda of Yobe.
While another seasoned international Assessor, Felicia Okwugba will oversee the referees for the Niger Delta derby in Asaba; Delta Force vs Akwa Starlets, where Bauchi based Fifa referee, Nurudeen Abubakar will lead Moruf Aromona of Lagos and Bashir Yahaya of Kano, the encounter in Owerri; Heartland vs MFM has Ameenu Adebayo Mohammed in charge of the referees team comprising Ahmad Rabiu of Kano, Peter Ogwu of Bauchi and Plateau’s Davo Musa, all Fifa referees.
In the ancient city of Kano, precisely at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofarmata area, all eyes shall focus on Niger State council FIFA referee, Abubakar Abdulahi assisted by Busayo Ogunyamodi and Court Samson of Ogun and Abia state councils respectively. The National Training Officer of the NRA, Olori Jumoke Adebisi Odeniran (Fifa rtd) is the Assessor
The appointment released by the NFF Referees Committee is as follows;
1 WIKKI TOURUST FC VS JIGAWA
GOLDEN STARS
IMIERE EMMANEL ED Assessor
PAUL UMUAGO DT Referee
ABEL BABA KG Assist Referee 1
NJOKU WILLIAMS
IM Assist Referee 2
KASSIM AJIBOLA
OG Fourth Official
2 PLATEAU UTD VS LOBI STARS CHUKUJEKWU C LG
KASSIM ABDUL ZM SHITTU IDRIS OG
HASSAN DAUDA
YB
OGABA ISAAC RV
3 DELTA FORCE FC VS AKWA
STARLETS
FELICIA OKWUGBA
PL
NURA ABUBAKAR
BA
MORUF AROMONA
LG
BASHIR YAHAYA
KN
ADEJOH GODWIN
KW
4 KANO PILLARS VS RIVERS UTD
OLORI ADEBISI ODENIRAN OY ABDULLAHI
ABUBAKAR NG
BUSAYO
OGUNYANMODI
OD
COURT SAMSON
AB
MAJIDADI
TIJANNI GM
5 HEARTLAND FC VS MFM FC
MOHAMMED
AMEENU FCT
AHMAD RABIU KN
PETER OGWU BA
MUDSA DAVOU
PL
A.UDOTTEE AK
6 FC IFEANYIUBAH VS ADAMAWA
UTD
ABRAHAM ZAKOWI
FCT
ADENIYI ADEWALE
OY
AMGBARI C BY GWANTALA
LEWIS NS
ALIYU ABASS KD
8 WARRI WOLVES VS AKWA UTD
STELLA ELOJI NG OLABIYI YOMI LG
ISA USMAN KT ADEPOJU
IDOWU FCT
EZEOGU
OKECHUKWU EN
9 ABIA WARRIORS VS KATSINA UTD
PETER EDIBE CR
HONG ZUBAIRU
AD
ABDULGANIYU O.O
KW
LATUNDE TOSIN
OS
IBODOR OVIE DT
Kelechi Mejuobi
National Publicity Secretary, NPS,
Nigeria Referees Association, NRA
