We fought enemies of NPFL to achieve results — Elegbeleye

The chairman, Interim Management Company (IMC), Gbenga Elegbeleye, has said his committee had to fight courageously against all enemies in a bid to rescue and reposition the country’s elite league, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

In a chat with sports journalists in Abuja yesterday, the former Director-General of the defunct National Sports Commission (NSC) said he faced stiff opposition from beneficiaries of the old system who didn’t want their corrupt structures dismantled.

“When we started the reforms, those that benefited from the old system didn’t allow us to rest and we had to fight to finish. We had to tell our colleagues at the IMC that we needed to become warriors to fight them to their knees because we mean well for Nigerian football,” he said.

He further commended Nigerian referees whom he said have done credibly well since the league kicked off.

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Elegbeleye also urged them to sustain the momentum especially now that their welfare is a thing of priority to the IMC.

 “I am very happy that we had four away wins in Match Day 1 and 1 away win and 3 away draws in week 2 which shows the level of officiating and it shows how the crowd of the home teams now behave themselves.

“I commend our referees. We have ensured that all their indemnities are paid a day before they officiate so there won’t be any excuses. Our partners pay them directly and they have no reason not to do well,” he noted.