Referees in Nigeria have been told to avoid unwanted diversions and shenanigans perpetuated by other operators in the football system to ensure the don’t lose focus and expectations required of them at match venues.
President of the Nigeria Referees Association, NRA, Otunba Tade Azeez gave the counsel in Kano during the Pre Season Fitness Test and Seminar of non NPFL league referees from the Northern part of the country.
Otunba Tade Azeez used the opportunity to inform Premier League referees on duty in today’s midweek encounter to keep off antics of clubs and their spectators.
He said that mediocre performance from any of the appointed officials shall not be tolerated as the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and the NRA expect nothing than excellent performances for the good of the game.
One of the oldest hands in the domestic scene and FIFA futsal referee, Paul Umago of Delta State council will be among other experienced hands including FIFA Abdulmajeed Ambeco Usman of the Oyo State council for the derby in Kano; Jigawa Golden Stars vs Kano Pillars. The match has the Secretary General of the. NRA, Dr Suleiman Omezia as the Assessor.
As Heartland FC of Owerri visit Markurdi for Lobi Stars, all eyes will be on Sani Abdul of Bauchi council assisted on the lines by Ojo Ayinde of Lagos and Elisha Owolabi of Kebbi council.
In the North Central Derby in Lafia, where a renowned name in the referee family and former Register of the University of Ilorin, Emmanuel Dada Obafemi, who added another year yesterday will assess, diminutive Kano based FIFA referee, Bashir Salisu will dictate officiating style with Imo”s Anakwe Arinze and Bakare Adeyinka of Ekiti state.
Down the Southern part of the country where retired FIFA Ibrahim Umar Fagge of the Kano Council is Assessor, another FIFA referee from Lagos State council, Quadri Adebimpe will rely on the assistants of Bancir L, TJ Mustapha of Plateau and Katsina respectively while FIFA Abubakar Abdulahi of Niger takes charge of the big clash in Akure; Sunshine vs Enyimba as another FIFA referee, Peter Ogwu of Bauchi is on the lines. Recently retired FIFA referee, the Director of Sports in Yobe State who was among the Nigeria trio to the FIFA Futuro 111 Course in Kigali Rwanda, Dr Abubakar Ago is the Assessor .
The appointments are as follows;
WIKKI TOURIST VS DELTA FORCE
KABIRU BAWA KN Assessor
KOLAWOLE EMMA KW Referee
YUSUF IBRAHIM KN Assistant Ref 1
AKINOLA AREGBESOLA OG Assistant Referee 2
FRANKLY AGUGUESI IM Fourth Official
HASSAN GARO MC
32
JIGAWA G STARS VS KANO PILLARS
OMIEZA SULIEMAN FCT Assessor
PAUL UMUAGO DT
ABDULMAJID USMAN OY
EVANS UHUNAMURE ED
SAMSON FIZOBE FCT
SUNDAY LONGPAM MC
33
LOBI STARS FC VS HEARTLAND FC
RABIU GAUSA ZM Assessor
SANI ABDU BA
OJO AYINDE LG
ELISHA OWOLABI KB
AMGBARI CHRISTOPHER BY
SALISU GARBA MC
34
AKWA STARLETS VS FC IFEANYIUBAH
IBRAHIM UMAR KN Assessor
QUADRI ADEBIMBE LG
LOHUJUL BANCIR PL
TIJJANI MUSTAPHA KT
HASSAN ABUBAKAR TR
MIKE OBOH MC
35
RIVERS UTD VS RANGERS INTL
DANLITY MOHD KD Assessor
NURA ABUBAKAR BA
YAHAYA IKARA KD
BOSEDE MOMOH FCT
OGUNJUMELO A OD
AYORINDE BOLA MC
36
MFM FC VS WARRI WOLVES
ODINONYE FELIX EB Assessor
GREMA MOHD BO
AMINU ADAMU SK
JACOB JOB NG
KINGSLEY NNAEMEKA AB
DIEWAIT IKPECHUKWU EN MC
37
ADAMAWA UTD VS ABIA WARRIORS
AYENI S LG Assessor
DANIEL TAKYUN NS
SONIBARE SADIQ LG
ADEBIYI AYODEJI OY
SHINA IRANLOYE KW
ABDULLAHI RABI NS
MC
38
SUNSHINE STARS VS ENYIMBA INTL
AGO ABUBAKAR YB Assessor
ABUBAKR ABDULLAHI NG
PETER OGWU BA
SALMANU AUWALU KN
AMOS ONUNWO RV
HALIRU ALHASSAN KN
MC
39
AKWA UTD VS KATSINA UTD
UMARU MOHAMMED NG Assessor
JACOB GWAUTSA FCT
SUFIYANU BAZZA AD
AJADI ODUNAYO OY
EZE CHINOSO EN
TEDDY ISIADINSO MC
40
NASARAWA UTD VS PLATEAU UTD
E OBAFEMI KW Assessor
BASHIR SALISU KN
ANIEKWE ARINZE IM
BAKARI ADEYINKA EK
BEN ONYIKA AK
HAMZA BABA BA MC
