Bata, Oghali, Nwabulu top list of nominees for NPFL-LBA awards

El Kanemi winger, Hussaini Bata, Shedrack Oghali of Warri Wolves, Abdulrahman Bashir of Nasarawa United and Wikki Tourists’ Emeka Nwabulu are the stars contending for the best player award of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) League Bloggers Awards (LBA).

Organisers of the awards yesterday released the nominees for the June edition of the LBA Awards for the manager and player categories.Oghali’s return for Wolves in the month under review saw him help the Warri club get a point at Kano Pillars in a 2-2 draw in which he scored both goals. Before then, he netted the equaliser that helped Wolves avoid defeat at home in a 2-2 draw with Heartland having gone two goals down.

Nwabulu has impressed between the sticks for title-chasing Wikki this term and in June, he kept four clean sheets in five appearances. He was a major reason the Tourists kept two clean sheets on the road at Heartland and Ikorodu United in which they garnered four points.

El-Kanemi youngster, Bata, scored three important goals at home for his team against Enugu Rangers, Warri Wolves and Abia Warriors to earn himself a place among the NPFL-LBA shortlists.Former ABS man, Bashir, has got himself back to scoring ways this term.

His goals in home wins against Enyimba, FC Ifeanyiubah and Niger Tornadoes put him in the frame for the June award.Four coaches, Gbenga Ogunbote (3SC), Abdu Maikaba (Wikki Tourists),Solomon Ogbeide (Sunshine Stars) and Kabiru Dogo (Nasarawa United) are the men in line for the manager’s award for June.