The 2022/2023 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) kicks off today, with Akwa United Football Club of Uyo, welcoming the newly promoted Bendel Insurance 
to the Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo. 
  
The Match Day One fixture of the country’s topflight football tagged abridged league, will have in attendance, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Musa Gusau, and the Chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC), Sunday Elegbeleye. 
  
The sides are meeting for the time since 2008 when they last met in the country’s top-flight league. The contest ended in favour of the Benin-based team, which pipped the Uyo-based side 3-2, but still got relegated after finishing 20th on the log with 39 points.
  
Coaches Deji Ayeni of Akwa United and Monday Odigie of Bendel Insurance will be hoping that their wards give a good account of themselves in the day’s only fixture after the other matches were postponed till next week. 
 
Odigie, who described his team as being a “work in progress,” added: “We are still building, and with God helping us, we will produce a formidable team that will not only vie for the NPFL title but the one that can intimidate big teams at CAF competitions. We are not there yet, but we desire to build a solid team.”  
  
On what Akwa United’s supporters should expect from the contest, Coach Ayeni said: “We have prepared mentally, and psychologically and the good thing is that we are kick-starting the league. 
  
“I think it’s a great honour to kick-start the league, and we are ready, and there is no pressure on us, as we will approach the match as every other league match,” he stated.