‎Gov Diri unveils Maikaba, Elechi as new coaches for Bayelsa Utd

‎Gov Diri unveils Maikaba, Elechi as new coaches for Bayelsa Utd

‎

‎...Pre-Season tournament holds next week

‎

‎Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has charged the newly-appointed coaches of Bayelsa United to return the team to the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL at the end of the 2026/2027 season.

‎

‎Governor Diri gave the charge at the official unveiling of the new Technical Adviser, Abdu Maikaba and Assistant Coach, Ngozi Elechi at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa.

‎

‎Governor Diri, who was represented by the deputy governor, Dr Peter Akpe, remarked that the mandate of the technical crew is to bring the team back to the top flight of Nigerian Football, pointing out that the government is desirous of seeing the team back in the NPFL, hence it is taking steps to ensure the realization of this objective.

‎

‎He explained that the coaches emerged from a rigorous process conducted by a team of seasoned technocrats, noting that the government did not interfere in the selection of the coaches.

‎

‎The governor restated his administration's commitment towards ensuring that the "Prosperity Boys" compete in the NPFL in 2027.

‎

‎According to the state's helmsman, Bayelsa United cannot afford to remain in the lower division for a long time, adding that his administration would give the team the needed support to gain promotion, urging all critical stakeholders in the State to support the team and the new board.

‎

‎He also urged multi-national oil companies and the organized private sector to give the team the necessary support, pointing out that the government alone cannot sponsor sports.

‎

‎"We have kick-started, and I believe that a journey that is properly started in the right direction is already halfway done. A lot of people had interest and made nominations, and several coaches were interviewed, but the process was based on merit. I have not met the new coach before, and that means from day one, we have started avoiding interference," Governor Diri stated.

‎

‎"I want to appeal to all stakeholders to add their knowledge to support this team to succeed. Our target is to return the team to the Premier League, within this season and that's our charge to the new technical crew.

‎

‎Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of the Bayelsa United Interim Board, Dr. Peter Singabele assured Bayelsans that the team would return to the apex league at the end of the season, maintaining that preparations for the NNL have begun.

‎

‎He hinted that the team would embark on a pre-season tournament that would feature twelve teams, including last year's Prosperity Cup quarter-finalists as well as four other Yenagoa-based teams, stressing that the aim of the exercise was to discover and nurture local talents, which abound in the state.

‎

‎Also speaking, the new technical adviser of Bayelsa United, Abdu Maikaba, asserted that the decision to accept the club's offer was driven by the board's ambition to return the club back to the top echelon of Nigerian football.

‎

‎He explained that he was responsible for securing the promotion of Wikki Tourist to the NPFL twice, in 2014/2015 and 2025, finishing fourth in 2015. He added that he has worked with many league teams, including helping Kano Pillars win the league in the 2014 season, among others.