Michael Odetunde 

Chairman, Board of Nigeria National League (NNL) ,Mr George Aluo has commended Nigeria Referees Association, particularly those officiating in the second tier of the league in the country for the job well done.

Aluo made this disclosure while featuring on the Super Interview sesion on the leading WhatsApp group in Nigeria *Sports World Platform* Monday. 

The Lagos based Football administrator clarified that, the referees have been good since the start of the NNL season going by the statistics of the number of victories and draws recorded in the first stanza of the league. 

"If you look at statistics the number of victories that was recorded in the first stanza of the league, the number of draws that were recorded, you will clearly see that the officiating has improved, is not same of the same" Aluo states. 

Imo born veteran journalist cum administrator, also stated that the officiating in NNL have been very poor before now compared to the ongoing campaign, noting that clubs can acknowledge that officiating has been top notch with clubs now winning on the road with statistics backed up. 

" Before now officiating in NNL has been very poor, we must give kudos to the referees, and clubs can acknowledge the officiating has been top notch, clubs are winning on the road and we have statistics to back this up" He noted. 

Aluo further cited that, the first stanza of the league recorded 47 away victories, given by 37% of the matches played,  affirmed that it has never happen, which is unprecedented going by the record of victories home and away in the history of NNL. 

"After the first stanza, we had about 47 away victories and that gave us about 37% of the matches played, it has never happen in the history of NNL, you can check the record not just NNL even in NPFL, the number of victories home and away is unprecedented in the history of the league" Aluo noted. 

The NNL league body boss, opined that the officiating has greatly improved, giving kudos to the referees for their job well done. 

Chairman Board of NNL, however concluded that, few cases where poor officiating emerged have been taken care of promptly, through recommendations to the referees committee of NFF for erring referees to be sanctioned. 

"So in the area of officiating, we cannot say that same of the same, it has greatly improved and I must give kudos to referees for the job they are doing, and few cases where they have been poor officiating, we have taken prompt action, sanction make recommendations to the referees committee of NFF for such referees to be sanction, so officiating has really improved and kudos must go to the referees in this direction" Aluo concluded.