Abuja — Veteran sports journalist Chief Emeka Inyama is among top contenders who are vying for the chairmanship of the National league when the election comes up this weekend in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

Speaking to Champion Sports yesterday in Abuja ahead of the polls, Inyama said he decided to run because of his conviction that he has what it takes to revive the dwindling fortunes of the league which he regretted has been left to suffer due to lack of proper funding.

The Chairman of Abia Warriors FC said what is needed to do is to encourage the corporate world to identify with the league adding that he as mapped out his programme of how to develop the league in the short term and at the long term basis.

"We must be serious about developing our football, it should be a holistic approach that will involve the clubs, the referees and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), everybody must do his own job, the referees for instance should not be killing the game by manufacturing goals for the home teams, we all must be sincere for it to work".

According to him, it will be wrong for the clubs to continue to foot even the bills and indemnities of match officials saying it ism one of the things that engineer poor officiating which also has contributed in scaring the fans away from league venues.

Inyama, who was the Marketing Manager of the 2003 8th All Africa Games (COJA) also used the opportunity to advise all those who want to become chairmen of leagues because it automatically empowers them to become executive members of the NFF to jettison the idea saying it board is not going to be a tea pay but "real commitment to national service".