Sponsorship Bid: Court Stops NPL

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered a temporary halt to attempts by the Nigeria Premier League to conduct a fresh round of bidding for the title rights to the domestic league.

Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako ordered all parties to maintain status quo on the matter pending the determination of main suit.

Total Promotions, which won the rights on behalf of telecommunications company MTN, had taken the case to court after an Extraordinary Congress of the NPL voted to nullify the process and re-open the bidding.

Named in the suit were the Premier League board, the sports minister Professor Taoheed Adedoja and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Counsel to Total Promotions Limited, Bambo Adesanya (SAN), claimed in his application that the defendants are masterminding plans to go ahead with a fresh bid irrespective of the court suit.

Justice Murtala-Nyarko has set February 9 for the resumed hearing of the case, where the defendants are expected to file a preliminary objection.

Meanwhile, Nigeria goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama was on Sunday voted the Sports Person of the Year at The Future Awards in Lagos.