NLO: Hon. Ekene splashes N20m on 8 Kaduna teams

NLO: Hon. Ekene splashes N20m on 8 Kaduna Teams

By Vincent Akinbami

The House Committee Chairman on Sports, Federal House of Representatives, and member, representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, Hon. Ekene Abubakar Adams has donated N20 million to eight Kaduna teams ahead of the Nationwide League One, (NLO) competition slated for next month across various centers in the country.

The lawmaker announced the donation during a media parley with members of the Sport's Writers Association of Nigeria, (SWAN), Kaduna State chapter.

Eight teams that qualified from the Division One to the professional cadre at the end of every season are expected to slug it out in the championship play-off to determine the overall winner for the NLO season.

Speaking in Kaduna on Friday on the need for the various teams to put up their best in the competition, Honourable Adams said the donation is for logistics of the eight teams who qualified for the game, adding that when the teams are motivated, they will showcase their potentials to the fullest.

"We will do everything humanly possible to support the teams in other for them to do well in the forthcoming game. For that reason, I am supporting the eight teams with the sum of N20 million for their logistics.

"I desire good thing for sports in Kaduna State. We have eight teams that are competing in the NLO, and as the House Committee Chairman on Sports and from Kaduna State, I want the teams to do very well to the best of their abilities.

"Under my administration, we are trying to do everything differently, especially as a seasoned sports administrator. I have played, I have managed and I can say that I have risen to the peak of my career in sports. We are now the one in government, so if the previous government was doing anything wrong, we are to correct those mistakes and carry everyone along," he said.

In his response, the Chairman Football Association, (FA) Kaduna State Mr. Faiza Mohammed Abdullahi, said that since the lawmaker assumed office, they have been able to record a significant giant strides.

He added that some of the steps that they have taken so far would take a little time to materialised but revealed that there was a disconnect from the previous government but since the coming of Hon. Ekene, he has been able to sit down with Governor Uba Sani twice on the need to revitalise sporting activities in the state.

Also, the National President, Sport's Writers Association of Nigeria, (SWAN), Comrade Isaiah Benjamin, (JP) appreciated the House committee chairman for his efforts and determination to see that sports thrive in the state and the country at large.