By Amaechi Agbo

The Management of the Nigeria National League, NNL, has stated that the directive by the Nigeria Football Federation NFF for the second tier league to resume on January 16, 2021 is not feasible.

The NNL in a release Thursday while announcing January 15 as its Annual General Assembly, AGA date, said the date given by the NFF for the 2020/2021 NNL season to commence is not feasible.

The NFF had directed after its Executive Committee meeting on December 29, 2020 “That the mooted date of Saturday, 16th January 2021 for the commencement of the Season 2020-2021 of the Nigeria National League, and Wednesday, 10th February 2021 for the commencement of the new season for the Nigeria Nationwide League One.”

The 31st edition of the AGA and new season draw of the NNL has been scheduled to hold Friday the 15th of January, 2021 in the capital City of the Salt of the Nation Abakaliki , Ebonyi State, South – East Nigeria.

As it is customary, the yearly AGA precedes the start of a fresh season, the management of the Most Important League has chosen the Prestigious Salt Lake Hotel in Abakaliki as venue.

NNL’S Chief Operating Officer (COO) Mr.Emmanuel Adesanya who disclosed this to the Media & Communication arm of the League ,said the Ordinary AGA which will afford major stakeholders the chance to deliberate and take decisions on key issues before commencement of the 2020/2021 season, will have only Presidents of the clubs or their certified representatives in attendance.

It would be recalled that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) earlier at its last meeting mooted 16th of January,2021 as kick off date for the NNL, but as it appears the date is not looking feasible.

“The AGA scheduled in Ebonyi will indeed provide us that veritable avenue to chart the way forward, and I can assure that the new NNL season will not take long to start “ the coo noted.

The COO added that, the Presidents of the NNL Clubs are expected to arrive Abakaliki on Thursday 14 ahead of the AGA and depart Saturday 16 after the AGA on Friday 15.

The Abakaliki AGA will be the first under current NNL Chairman,Senator Obinna Ogba,the last NNL AGA was held in Enugu in 2019 with late Honourable Chidi Ofo Okenwa as chairman.

The NNL went on break on December 2019 but never returned throughout 2020 due to some unforeseen circumstances, and outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The Nigeria National League was established in 1972 as the Nigeria League(First League) with six clubs ,the name changed to Professional League (Pro- League) on the 12th of May,1990 ,It metamorphosed into the Nigeria National League (NNL) in 2012 after a Congress held in Kaduna.