‘Nigeria Premier Football League pitches are up to standard’ – Gbenga Elegbeleye

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Chairman of Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) board, Gbenga Elegbeleye has revealed that 90 percent of pitches in the league today are up to the standard.

The stadiums in Kano, Eket, and Bayelsa had initially denied hosting NPFL matches before the season started but the country’s league governing body later passed the stadia fit following rehabilitations of the match venues.

The former lawmaker said the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Enyimba Stadium, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, and Remo Stars Stadium are up to standard, stressing that the pitches are now in good shape and playable for the teams.

“In all fairness to us, we have 90 percent of our pitches today up to standard,” Elegbeleye told Brila FM.

“Look at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Enyimba Stadium, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Remo Stars Stadium, Kano Pillars, Kwara United, Eket, Jos, Bayelsa, Gombe, Ibadan, Katsina, Onikan, etc are adjudged to be good enough before we start.

“These are the pitches you feel were not okay. That’s why some clubs are playing away from home.” He concluded.

Few teams in the NPFL this season are playing their games away from home unlike last season when a lot of them like Kwara United in Ibadan and Lagos playing their games away from Ilorin.