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The Director General, National Sports Commission, Patrick Ekeji
yesterday in Abuja denied having knowledge of the leadership tussle that has
engulfed the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) for months.

Ekeji made the denial while presenting the 2010 Ministerial
Score Card at the VIP Lounge of the National Stadium Abuja.

“There is no document on my table that indicates that. I am not
aware of any leadership tussle in the NPL,” he said.

Davidson Owumi had emerged as Chairman of the league from an
election conducted after the exit of former league boss, Oyuki Obaseki.

However, his leadership has been questioned by some aggrieved
people, amongst whom is former Bayelsa United Chairman, Victor Baribote, who
has alleged that Owumi was not qualified to vie for the position in the first
place.

Several meetings have been held to help resolve the matter with
the former Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, President Sani Lulu setting up a
committee led by Ibidapo Obe. The Obe committee recommended a fresh election as
a way out.

Even the current leadership of the NFF has at different times
also tried to settle the rift a situation, which has made the Ekeji’s supposed
ignorance baffling to many.

Bid Process

Apart from his comment about the crisis in the league, Ekeji
also commented on the controversial Sponsorship deal that gave MTN the right to
sponsor the league for 4 years at the tune of 2.6 billion naira. He said the
Sports Commission can only advise it’s parastatal but not direct them. He said
that no system in the world is perfect after all.

Ekeji said the achievements recorded by the Commission in 2010
include the award of contract for the construction of 43 mini Sports centres at
locations across the country — at a total cost of 1.806 billion naira. Others
are the construction of Grand Stands, Fence And Natural Football Turfs in 14
locations across the country; and the construction of 6 Zonal Sports Offices in
the six geo-political zones in the country. Contracts have also been awarded
for Restoration and upgrading facilities at the 6 federal Stadiums under the supervision
of the Sports Commission, the completion of a 200 rooms Athletes Hostel at the
National Sports Complex in Abuja, and Construction of Sports Medicine Center,
National Stadium, Abuja.

Ekeji was unhappy that some Nigerian athletes failed Dope tests
at the Commonwealth Games in India. He said investigations proved that the
athletes involved took the substance outside the Country and not in Nigeria.

Olympic target

The Sports Commission boss gave the list of events in which
Nigeria will be competing at the London Olympic Games in 2012 as Sprint Races,
Takwando, Terrestrial and Horizontal jumps, Wrestling and Weightlifting {Female
Category).

“We are sure for now to participate in athletics, and this will
be in the sprints as well as terrestrial and horizontal jumps, and football if
the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) does its own part.

“The talents are there for us there, and we are sure the
federation can muster the finances needed to get the tickets to the games for
its teams,” Ekeji said.

Sports Festival date
uncertain

Meanwhile, the National Sports Festival billed for Rivers State
next year February may be postponed again as it clashed with electoral
activities. Ekeji, who said Rivers is ready for the event, admitted that
political events may force a change in date.