NFF to Investigate President of NRA over Match fixing.

President of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), Tade Azeez, is to be investigated by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after the allegation that he had a hand in the fixing of a Glo Premier League match between Gabros FC (now IfeanyiUba FC) and Sharks on May 17, 2015.

NFF Secretary General, Mohammed Sanusi, confirmed yesterday that the federation was investigating the matter after it was issued a query by international football governing body, FIFA.

Azeez is alleged to have influenced the Centre Referee, Henry Ogunyamodi from Ondo State, to affect  the outcome of the Match Day 9 encounter played in Nnewi.

Sanusi called for more information on the matter to help the federation in the investigation.
Similarly, the Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC), Shehu Dikko, has said that the league body was interested in the outcome of the investigation.

While revealing that match under investigation was on tape, Dikko urged people with information on how to unravel the matter should come forward with such information.

"Thorough investigation must be concluded on the matter before a decision is taken, "Dikko said.
NFF 1st Vice President, Seyi AKinwunmi, who addressed  reporters on the progress of the domestic league, also confirmed that the Referees’ Committee of the federation  had already sanctioned two Premier League referees, Charles (Enugu State) and Matador (Abia State) for poor performance, while Ahmed Dan Zaria was demoted to the lower division, just as Mogaji Mohammed (Niger State) was dropped from serving as a referee to an assistant referee rank.

Meanwhile, the League Management Company (LMC) has disclosed that the Nigeria Professional Premier League sponsors, Globacom no longer has exclusive sponsorship rights  of the league.

LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, disclosed yesterday that the contract which the league body signed with Globacom in 2013, allowed clubs in the premier league to enter into marketing agreement with any of Globacom's competitors in the telecommunications industry.

Dikko, who described the partnership between Glo and the league as robust, drew a baseline on the extent that competitors can be allowed to participate in the league as the integrity of the sponsors must be protected. 

According to Dikko, the league has limited the number of clubs a telecom company can brand in the premier league to only two, which in addition must be paid 13 per cent of the rights fee Globacom is paying to the league in a year.

He said that unlike in the past when competitors were excluded, the extant deal on the league sponsorship with Globacom permits rivals to brand clubs as it is the conventional practice, using the Ghana League where MTN has shirt sponsorship deal with some clubs to buttress his case.

Dikko similarly disclosed that the LMC was trying to set up a consulting firm that would advise the premier league clubs on how to maximise their assets.

He said that clubs stood to receive two per cent as commission from the sales of recharge cards and sim cards branded in their names.
Dikko also told reporters that LMC planned to assist cash-strapped clubs in the Nationwide League, National League and Women League by granting them 'Solidarity Payment' from sponsors to enable them offset commitments such as players expenses and referees indemnity.

source:ThisDay