12.09.2014 12:20 h

Nigeria leagues to resume after boycott

The Nigeria Premier League will resume next week after the country's referees called off a boycott of the competition in protest over a leadership crisis in the domestic game, organisers said on Friday.

The league was suspended a fortnight ago following the withdrawal of referees from the championship in protest at the appointment of a new head of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Salihu Abubakar, of the League Management Company, said the Nigeria Referees' Association (NRA) had informed them they were ready to return following the reinstatement of ousted NFF chief Aminu Maigari.

"Consequent of the NRA readiness to officiate in matches, all Match Day 26 fixtures will hold on Wednesday, September 17 and clubs of the Glo Premier League have been notified accordingly," he added.

All 10 fixtures will be played across the country on Wednesday. Defending champions Kano Pillars lead the 20-club championship on 43 points from 25 matches.

The country's lower leagues, the Nigeria National League and Nationwide League, as well as the women's competition will also resume next Wednesday.

Maigari's ouster by Chris Giwa on August 26 not only led to a boycott by referees, players and clubs in Nigeria but the threat of international suspension by world governing body FIFA.

But FIFA spared the African champions a ban after Giwa and his appointed executive committee agreed to step down and fresh elections were called.

The vote for a new management of the NFF is expected on September 30.