The Ebonyi House of Assembly Speaker, Chief Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, and the state’s People Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Chief Onyekachi Nwebonyi, are expected to feature in the forthcoming Ebonyi veterans football competition.
The Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Mr Charles Akpuenika, members of the state executive council and House of Assembly members, are also expected to feature in the competition.
The competition’s facilitator and state PDP chairman, Nwebonyi, made the disclosure to NAN after a training session on Monday, adding that it was for participants above 40 years of age across party lines.
“The competition which will commence on Nov. 24 and end on Dec. 8, 2019, aims at re-uniting the veterans who besides playing football in the past, have contributed to the growth of sports in the state.
“It is also aimed at keeping them fit to continue such contributions and complement the state governor’s strides in revolutionalising the sector in the state.
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Nwebonyi said that in spite of their tight schedules, the political office holders, including those from other political parties, would fully participate in the competition.
The Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Akpuenika, said that the competition would involve the three senatorial zones of the state which would produce two teams each.
“The draws which would be conducted soon would pitch the teams against one another and the best losers would join the three victorious teams for the competition’s semifinals.
“We don’t want to involve several teams being the inaugural edition but would definitely increase the number in subsequent editions.
“The competitions’ venue is the Pa Ngele Oruta Stadium, Abakaliki, and it is also expected to re-awaken the football enthusiasm in the veterans who have been sidelined for long,” he said.
Chief Richard Idike, Team Manager of the Ebonyi North zone team, expressed optimism that his team would win the competition.
Idike who is the Special Assistant to Ebonyi Governor on Special Projects said his team had several ‘old boys’ who were still fit, passionate about the game and would be expected to deliver.
