The chairman of the six-man interim committee of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), Mike Okpe Idoko, has defended the stand of the 20 Premier League clubs in removing the former board chairman of the league body, Chief Victor Rumson Baribote.

Idoko revealed after the inaugural meeting in Abuja yesterday, that the former NPL board had stagnated the development of the league, stressing that the gains made over the years by previous boards had been eroded with the administrative style of the sacked board.

"We had to do this in the interest of the league and Nigerian football. Clubs used to benefit financially from the title sponsorship money and at a point we were fighting for increment. But in the last two seasons or so, the clubs have been made to bear the brunt of NPL's inability to source for sponsors," he said.

Idoko who was part of the glory days of the NPL under Chief Oyuki Obaseki stressed that the Baribote led board lacked transparency and accountability, which were responsible for the inability of the league to attract title sponsorship for the past two seasons.

"We don't have any problem with Baribote as a person but it's glaring that his board failed and we have to move forward. Clubs spent heavily on match indemnities due to the inefficiency of the board under Baribote while the players suffered because the little the clubs have were being used in covering the glaring inefficiency of the board," he said.