Former two-time board member of Bayelsa United Football Club, Ogunu Miebi Samson, has expressed concern over the delay by the Bayelsa State Government in constituting a new management board for the club ahead of the September kickoff of the 2026/2027 Nigeria National League (NNL) season.
Ogunu made the remarks while reacting to an online publication credited to Hon. Amos Akposei, who reportedly backed him for consideration as substantive Chairman of the club.
The board of Bayelsa United was dissolved by the state government following the club’s relegation from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
With over five decades of experience in football administration, Ogunu Miebi Samson disclosed that he has already begun engaging experienced coaches familiar with the demands of the Nigeria National League, with the aim of helping the club secure a swift return to the NPFL.
He further identified late player recruitment, poor evaluation of player performance, and delayed technical reporting as key factors that contributed to the club’s underwhelming performances since 2021.
Ogunu appealed to the Bayelsa State Government to intervene promptly by setting up a new board early enough to ensure proper planning and a smooth rebuilding process ahead of the new season.
Bayelsa United is set to compete in the 2026/2027 NNL season following its relegation from the NPFL.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
