The Sun News On-line

Technical Director of Nigerian Football League (NFL) Davidson Owunmi, has given reasons why the Globacom Premier League was postponed early in the week with two ties to go.

He said the action was taken to enable Enyimba FC of Aba to honour their continental engagement with Club Africain of Tunisia and to allow them a little time to engage their week 37 opponents, Sunshine Stars of Akure.

Owunmi who also doubles as chairman of Football Club Owners Association, dismissed insinuations that the shift was done in bad faith. He said it was rather an action taken to ensure fairness and equity, to enable all matches to end the same day and to discourage foul play.

"The NFL decided to announce a postponement to the league to ensure that all Globacom Premiership matches are concluded the same day. This is to avoid all forms of insinuation of foul play.

"We took cognizance of the fact that Enyimba are having a continental engagement next weekend against Club Africain of Tunisia. So we thought it wise to postpone this weekend’s league engagement to allow them space to prepare for the crucial tie ahead of them.
"After that game, they will come back to prepare and play their match against Sunshine Stars of Akure.

“Since we have just two more matches to go, we don’t want a game to be postponed. If we do that, we will be leaving room for foul play." Owunmi the former chairman of Rangers International of Enugu explained.

He told Saturday Sunsport that the NFL was unperturbed that some persons were already speculating that the action was taken to give an undue advantage to some teams in the Premiership. He expressed belief that the action was in the best interest of all the teams, adding that the period of the postponement would allow them ample time to prepare for the remaining matches.

"We believe that the postponement was in everybody’s interest as against the interest of a few. The teams can use the period of the postponement to prepare hard enough for the remaining matches. The league is still open. The teams who want to win it should go out there and get results on the field of play. It is the result of matches that determine what they will get. And so those who desire the trophy need to go out there and work hard for it.

He also expressed happiness at the keen competition, which has characterized the league season. He noted that with two games to go, there was still no clear winner adding that it was that element that was the delight of all Nigerian league followers.

"We are happy that this season is going to end in a photo finish. That can tell a lot about the keenness of the competition. This is the element that is most delightful to all of us.
In the first stanza of the season, the spirit was different. Some teams were winning just at home. But in the second stanza, all that changed. Some teams now started getting impressive victories at away.
"That development says a lot about our determination to inject professionalism in the league.

The result we are having at the moment is the kind of result we are trying to consolidate upon.
"Right now, no one can say for sure, who wins the league. That’s the kind of element that characterises the English Premier league. It is good for us," he concluded.