•As Iwuala rules out such fears

By Tony Ubani

As the zero hour approaches swiftly to the end of the Nigerian Professional League, there are fears of a possible sell-out by desperate clubs to enhance good finishing or avoid the relegation waters.

The Nigerian Professional Football League, no doubt, has become a hot cake that not only improved with officiating but attracted an equally bigger fish – La Liga.

It has never been so good for the Nigerian league that no club is comfortable as it were before playing at home and predicting the results.

As the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium becomes the cynosure of all eyes with Rangers International of Enugu on the verge of winning the League, 32 years after they tasted their last victory, fears of sell-out have been heightened by the fact that Akwa United would also be hosting another cracker against Rivers United who are hot on the heels of Rangers to the diadem.

But Harry Iwuala of the NPFL has dismissed the fears of sell-out, saying it only exists in the imagination of their authors.

‘’There is absolutely nothing like that. This league has been beautiful and will be glorious to the end’’, Iwuala, still overwhelmed by the success of the league, said.

However, an ardent follower of the league who begged not to be mentioned recalled the scandalous results that once brought disrepute to the League.

Then, Zamfara United needed to score nine goals without conceding any against Kaduna United in their last match. Such a herculean task was the only way they could avoid relegation and many wondered the magic that could make them achieve the impossible.

And that was what they did, recording 9-0 against Kaduna Utd to avoid relegation and sent tongues wagging. It’s not the first time that such goal-rain was recorded in the Nigerian League. Akwa United started it all when they whacked Calabar Rovers 13-0 in their last match to also gain promotion into the elite division. The setting, though, has changed with the Clubs having new helmsmen in various positions and have challenged for every point in the NPFL in the most professional manner.

Iwuala insisted that officiating has been one area the NPFL has scored points and would not close their eyes to any dirty deal to rubbish an otherwise beautiful ending of the league.

Asked where the trophy would be taken to, Enugu or Uyo, since a heavy defeat(4-0) of Akwa United by Rivers Utd and a loss by the Antelopes to El Kanemi Warriors would change the pendulum, Iwuala said that their men would cover all the venues.