By Amaechi Agbo

As the battle for the 2020/2021 NIgeria Professional Football League NPFL champions hits up with top-of-the-table clash between heavyweights, Akwa United and Nasarawa United on Thursday, Nasarawa State Commissioner for youth and Sports development, Honourable Bala Othman has stated that the Solid Miners are determined to overtake the Promise keepers when the two clash in matchday 30 fixture.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Bestchoicesports.com.ng in Lafia, the former Nasarawa State House of Assembly Sports Committee Chairman said the state’s club is a brand with passionate and energetic players and technical crew to upstage history in the league.

“We are aiming for the top. When we went to Aba, nobody gave us a chance and I told them in Aba that ‘we are here to avenge the defeat we suffered in the presence of our principal. That we are not in Aba just to play ball’ and I meant every bit of it.

“We have competent and reliable players and technical crew that is sound and up and doing.
Now we are making history, we are pushing for another positive together. We are aiming for the top position, let’s change the narrative, the impression within the league

“If you monitored our match against Warri Wolves, those from the Premier league TV wanted to hear a word or two from me after the match.

“The question they asked me was if we are comfortable with 2nd position and I told them that ‘we are aiming at the top and you are talking about 2nd position,” he said.

The Honourable commissioner whose two years in office already have witnessed the best in sporting history in the state with excellent outing at the 2022 National Sport Festival, among others, appealed to football pundits in the country to have a new orientation and jettison stereotype in their league analyses.

“I think we should have a new thinking from the pundits within Nigeria football fraternity. You don’t just assume it is only club A, B, C will be there. No. What is happening in D, E, F; you don’t care. You have made up your mind set.

“For the record, this set of management – the trio of Isaac Danladi, Babangida Solomon Mohammed Baba Ganaru were together when they took the club to the premier league.

“It mustn’t be club A, B, C. We have a brand that is full of players who are energetic, enthusiastic about what they are doing, have passion for the game. Above all, we have a sitting Governor, Alhaji Abdulahi Sule who does not in any decline the request we put before him concerning the club,” he said.

Nasarawa United will on Thursday, July 1, 2021 battle Akwa United at the Godwill Akpabio Stadium Uyo by 4pm

The match is Considered a tough one given that Akwa United is toping the league with 53 points and they are closely followed by their Thursday opponents, Nasarawa United who are second with 52 points. Both teams have no outstanding matches as they have all played 29 games in the league.

Thus far, this, from all indications, could be the Solid Miners’ best season in decades considering that a Continetal Ticket as well as winning the league next month are within their reach.