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NPFL Rescinds Ban on Sammy Wejinya

Published

13 hours ago

March 12, 2025

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has rescinded the ban imposed on Mr. Sammy Wejinya.
The decision to quash the sanction on Wejinya was reached after he appeared before a panel that sat to review his case after he wrote to request a retrial.
Chairman of the NPFL, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye, confirmed the board’s decision and remarked that”Mr. Sammy Wejinya appeared before an investigative panel set up to review his case following his letter of apology and appeal for a review of his case.
“The panel sat on March 3, 2025, during which Mr. Wejinya again tendered a verbal apology and explained the circumstances surrounding his failure to honour the earlier invitation. “
Elegbeleye further explained that the NPFL Board would always apply its rules as a corrective measure as against punitive intent.
“Our decisions at all times are guided by the objective to correct and not to harm our players, officials, and clubs.
“This has informed the decision to rescind the ruling banning Mr Wejinya who has made enormous contributions to the NPFL through his media space,” the NPFL Chairman stated.
He said the panel which reviewed the case, acknowledged in their report to the Board the circumstances surrounding Wejinya’s inability to honour the earlier invitation and also took special notice of the steps he took to remedy the situation through a new letter of apology and volunteered willingness to appear before the panel.
“Mr Wejinya tendered apology for any distress his publication may have caused the league and provided evidence of the physical injuries he endured as well as his material losses”, Elegbeleye said in a letter conveying the Board’s decision.
He said that while the Board acknowledged the physical assault on his person and loss of valuables, Wejinya was admonished to always exhaust the appropriate channels of seeking redress as against the rush to media escalation
Mr. Wejinya was further warned not to get involved in activities that can bring the league to disrepute, either by himself or in concert with other persons or groups.
Wejinya was suspended from all NPFL activities for the rest of the season after he published a viral story that was deemed to have portrayed the league in bad light following an incident at the Lafia Township Stadium.

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Niger Delta Sports Festival Local Trials Gain Momentum in States

Published

5 hours ago

March 12, 2025

The Gleamer

Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa led the nine others in organising trials for local government and federal constituencies on the first day of the trials for the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) which commenced on Tuesday, March 11.

In Yenagoa, Bayelsa State declared that it is aiming to put forward its best young athletes in a fair and competitive environment.

And it was a trail blazing of sorts in Eket where Akwa Ibom held the first day of trials with athletes featuring in Canoeing, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Basketball and Athletics.

The Commissioner for Sports Development and Chairman of the Bayelsa State Liaison Committee , Hon. Daniel Igali, who also serves on the Main Organizing Committee (MOC), met with the Bayelsa State Working Committee in his office on Wednesday.

The meeting was to strategize towards achieving the expected goals for the festival that holds in Uyo from April 1-8.

Igali emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the competition by ensuring that all participating athletes meet the age requirement of 25 years and below. He reiterated that while winning is important, the primary focus should be on fair play, development, and showcasing young talent.

Igali met at the Ministry’s Conference Hall, with the coaches and association secretaries.
The discussions centred on establishing a structured and practical framework for conducting trials at both the Local Government Area (LGA) and Senatorial District levels.

In Eket, Hon. Commissioner for Sports, Paul Bassey was seen at different competion grounds supervising the trials with budding talents from the Eket Senatorial District competing for one of 316 coveted spots to represent the state at the inaugural event.

From the pitch to the tracks, mat, sand, river, pool, and courts, young athletes gave their all, showcasing their skills in various sports, including football, track and field, weightlifting, traditional wrestling, swimming, basketball, boxing, tennis, handball, canoeing, and volleyball.

The organization of the trails was top-notch, conforming to the standards set by the Main Organizing Committee (MOC) of the festival.

The technical lead of the Akwa Ibom State Liaison Committee, Catherine Ekuta Ewa, expressed her excitement about the talents on display, saying, “If we can harness the talents we have seen here, Akwa Ibom will have a very bright future in sports.” She also thanked the organizers for creating an avenue for young athletes to be screened and aspire to compete at a higher level.

The trials, which were held in various locations across the Eket Senatorial District, including Eket town, Ibeno LGA, and Oron, saw a high level of competition, with many young athletes displaying exceptional skills and energy.

Nine states including Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta are among the competing stares. The rest are Edo, Imo, Cross River, Ondo and Rivers.

The festival is sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as a sports intervention project to mark its 25th anniversary and also help to harness talents in the region.

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