Four clubs have been confirmed with qualification to the top Nigeria League tier (NPFL) after the successful completion of the Nigeria National League (NNL) season. Doma United and Bendel Insurance were the first two clubs to have booked their place in the NPFL 2022-23 this season following their terrific performance which earned them the top spots in their conferences. Elkanami Warriors of Borno state and Bayelsa United filled the 3rd and 4th spots.
El Kanemi Warriors game against Sokoto United on 19th August was declared inclusive following fans’ appalling attack on a central referee. Warriors through their Facebook page linked the frantic fans to Sokoto United and claimed they were responsible for the game being called off.
The warriors got promoted through the game played between Mighty Jets of Jos who defeated City FC Abuja by 3-1 in the Northern conference A1.
Warriors top the league with the most points, 37 after 18 successful games in the A1 Northern Conference and will now return to the top flight after facing horrible relegation in 2019.
According to Tahiru Baba, the Media Officer of Elkanemi Warriors, the state commission for sports has dished out 1 m as a support token to the players and coaching staff of the club for their terrific effort towards returning the club to the top flight after two years.
Bayelsa United joined counterpart El Kanemi Warriors as the fourth club to book their promotion to the league top tie following their 2-0 victory over Cynosure. They top B2 Southern Conference with the most points of 44 just two points above rival Crown FC after game 24.
Before the triumph over Cynosure, the head of media for Bayelsa United through his Facebook page said the state governor Douye Diri charged the Prosperity Boys to regain the NPFL promotion with a promise from the governor to double their winning bonuses.
The one-time Nigeria League Champions returned to the top-flight league after seven years of striving.
A media person from the Nigeria National League after being contacted by The News Chronicles said:
There will no longer be Super Eight leagues as confirmed by NNL to select the winner of the 2021-22 NNL season, rather it will be Super four which will be played among the top four teams to determine the NNL Champions this season.
Last season after the completion of all games in each group, the Super Eight tournaments were hosted in Enugu, a neutral venue where Niger Tornadoes (Ikon Allah) defeated Shooting Stars to clinch the title. It was during this tournament that the four clubs (Niger Tornadoes, Shooting, Remo and Gombe United) which seek promotion to NPFL were selected.
The tournament which comprises eight teams (two top teams from each group) has now been streamlined to only four teams (top teams from each group).
