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Players in Nigeria's top flight have been forced to live without doing their jobs for the past six months, with fans starved of local football.
Following months of a long wait, the 2022/23 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is now set to get underway, according to Gbenga Elegbeleye, the chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC).
After the conclusion of the 2021/22 NPFL season in July, the resumption of Nigerian top flight have come under serious uncertainty.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) general elections in September also meant that the members of the League Management Company (LMC) - the body dictating the affairs of the NPFL - were replaced with an interim body: the IMC.
But after multiple postponements, IMC chairman Elegbeleye has now stated vehemently that the body will stick to its original decisions in a bid to get the league running.
NPFL to resume January 8th
With the new season already running behind schedule, the IMC had suggested an abridged format for the league to ensure it is wrapped up by June/July, however, some clubs reportedly kicked against the idea.
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Speaking in an interview with AIT, Elegbeleye insisted that there is no going back on IMC’s decision.
“Some club owners wanted the last top four teams to represent Nigeria for next season on the continent because they want the league to end in July,” he said.
“The NFF advised we should go for an abridged league. A club chairman informed that his players want to rest because they played on the continent.
“The league will start on January 8 with draws for December 28 on 100% abridged format, any club not ready might decide to leave.”
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NPFL will be on television
Further revealing plans for the new season, Elegbeleye stated that fans will get a chance to watch their favourite teams.
“The NPFL will be on NTA as we have an assurance from them. For cable network, it might not start with the first few matches but later on in the season.
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“We won’t owe any referee for next season despite inheriting 500m naira referee debt,” he added.
Rivers United emerged as winners of the previous season, setting a new title-winning points record of 77 from 38 games, to clinch the trophy for the first time since their formation in 2016.
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