Ondo Referees, 20 others relegated

By Femi Atolagbe
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Nigeria Football Federation Referees Committee have relegated two Ondo State Premier League  Referees, Tope Ogunboye , Awosakin Iluyomade and 20 others  to the Nigeria National League (NNL) ahead of the weekend’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) kick off.

While the committee put some referees who were suspended for various offences last season under probation

In a release made available to newsmen by the Nigeria Referee Association, National Publicity Secretary, Kelechi Mejuobi.

Ahead of the 2019/ 2020 Football Season, I have been directed by the Nigeria Football Federation Referees Committee that based on the Regulation, the following members of the Nigeria Referees Association, NRA who didn’t take part in the 2018/2019 NPFL league will not be appointed for the 2019/2020 NPFL until they take part in the 2019/2020 Nigeria National League, NNL, where their performances shall be properly assessed to ascertain if they can  fit into the requirements expected of them for the NPFL standard since they missed out from officiating of the last season matches.

“In the release, the referees who fall into this category are; Omodevuae  S – Delta, Tope Ogunboye- Ondo, Awosakin Iluyomade Ondo,Nwoguimo C. Rivers , Mohammed Jingi Bauchi, Akut Reuben Kaduna, Abduganiyu A plateau, Damian Akure, Jeremiah Akure and Rabiu Aliyu Mohammed Jigawa. Others are Musa Ibrahim Katsina, Asebisi Musibau Kwara, Mohd Usman Egede Nasssarawa, Dr Kana Abubakar Nassarawa, Bala Mohammed Niger, Lonkat Ephraim plateau ,Sani Ibrahim Taraba, Auwal D Nakura Taraba, Badamasi Badamasi Katsina, Zakariya lawali Zamfara, Ghalli Habibu Zamfara Kano and ,Yusuf Garba, Kano.

Similarly, The NFF Referees Committee after due investigation of the cases of the  referees  suspended for various offences in the matches they were involved in last season,  the under listed affected ones have been stepped down to take part in the NNL for the 2019/2020 season.

According to the statement, during this probation period, they shall be under intensive monitoring to ascertain their knowledge of the Laws of the Game and good conduct in line with the NFF/NRA Code of Conduct for possible reinstatement  to handle the NPFL.

Those in this category are; Blessed Levi – Rivers, Nwandu O – Imo, Ojo B- Kaduna, Nworie P- Enugu, Bada A –  Lagos ,Hussain A- FCT, Jimoh A- Bauchi, Surakat M- Kwara, Bethel N- Imo, Idris Nuhu – Kano, Nalado A- Bauchi, Isa J -Niger ,Maimunu U- Kano, Olawale O- Osun,Benito O- Imo, Pam Jerry- Plateau, Onyiro Kennet – Abia ,Auwalu Rabiu – Zamfara ,Apine Emmanuel- Benue, Agbagbatu Chris- Delta.

while Ibrahim Isyaku – Kogi has been summarily retired after repeated cases of involvement in game mismanagement,” the styatement added.