NFF Charges Referee Assessors On Impartiality, Excellence

NFF President Amaju Pinnick has told the country’s referee assessors that the new NFF administration is determined to let Nigeria football thrive on excellence, and not on parochialism or ethnicism.

Speaking while visiting the assessors during their practical session at the FIFA Goal Project, Abuja on Wednesday, Pinnick stated clearly that the primary target of the new administration is the man-at-the-centre.

“Our target is the man they call the referee. He plays such a critical role in the course of a football match. That is why we are training referees. We have now trained 30 referees in two capacity –building exercizes in the United Kingdom.

“Our objective is to train 50 referees. We will also get to the turn of match assessors, because everyone in the mix is important. I am appealing to you to assess fairly and without being parochial or sentimental.”

In company with NFF Executive Committee members Yusuf Ahmed Fresh, Sunday Dele-Ajayi and Babagana Kalli, General Secretary Musa Amadu and NRA President Tade Azeez, Pinnick charged the assessors not to protect devious referees on basis of ethnicism or other base considerations.

“We are going to interface with the League Management Company on improvement of the remuneration of referees. This is not about anyone of us as an individual; it is about the future of Nigeria football.”

Big names at the two-day seminar include Mr. Linus Mba, Alhaji Ahmed Maude, Professor Babatunde Asagba, Mr. Emmanuel Obafemi, Mrs Jamila Buhari, Professor Abu Mallam, Callistus Chukwujekwu, Abraham Zakowi, Edikin Imiere, Peter Edibi, Daniel Olokor, Jumoke Adebisi, Dr. Iro Saulawa, Faith Irabor, Dr. Dele Oladipo and Felicia Okwugba.