The Nigeria National League (NNL) has dismissed as spurious news of the spread of Diphtheria disease in Kano, venue of its eight-team relegation play-off, which kicks off this weekend.

Shortly after the government of Kano State accepted to host the NNL relegation play-off at the Sani Abacha Stadium, unconfirmed reports made the rounds that the disease has engulfed the entire state .

NNL Chairman, George Aluo, dismissed the news as false, Livesport noting that he personally made efforts to confirm the situation in Kano and that his inquiries from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has shown that the city is safe .

“We are in touch with the NCDC to get the right information on the situation and there is no such censor that we should not go to Kano.

“We even kept touch with the Police Commissioner in Kano, CP Mohammed Usani Gumel, and we were assured of our security and safety .

“Our advance party, led by NNL Chief Operating Officer (COO), Emmanuel Adesanya,sports betting online  who is working with the local organising committee for the success of the play off, are on ground and have also allayed any sort of fears.

“No state of emergency has been declared about Kano and it is only normal we place the facts on the table. The NNL relegation play off will go on as scheduled. Virtual We have put logistics in place and thanks again to the governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for investing in the NNL.”

The eight teams billed to feature in the play off will arrive the ancient city of Kano today ahead of the draw, which holds tomorrow, while the games will start on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the NNL has appointed leading Sports PR and Brand Development agency, shop bet MatchRoom Sports and Media, as its Strategic Brand Consultants.

With the appointment, MatchRoom is expected to deliver strategic consultancy as the NNL seeks to boost its brand profile amongst key stakeholders across the country.

Speaking on the development, NNL’s Chief Executive Officer, Emmanuel Attah, said: “Since the NNL board was constituted by the Nigeria Football Federation, we have been looking for partners to take the league to the next phase. bet shop MatchRoom Sports and Media was identified as a key player to enhance our brand and we are satisfied with their approach so far.”

In his reaction, Managing Director/CEO of MatchRoom, Ojeikere Aikhoje, said: “This is an exciting partnership for us because MatchRoom provides strategic and creative thinking to help clients unlock the potential of their brands.

“We will sharpen the brand’s proposition, discover opportunities for the brand and make it meaningful to those that matter most.

“Our desire is to ensure the NNL inspires Nigerians and make a positive impact on society.”
This is the first time that the NNL will appoint a brand consultant since its creation as home of second tier Football in Nigeria.