Byline: IDNN Sports Desk
A fresh storm has erupted between Abuja sports journalists and the board of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after the FCT chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) issued a blunt directive banning NPFL coverage on its official platforms.
The association, in a statement signed by its Executive Committee, accused NPFL’s Head of Media, Harry Iwuala, of consistently disrespecting the union by sidelining its leadership and members at league events — including the high-profile NPFL awards ceremony held in Abuja.
“The NPFL board, through its media arm, has treated our great association with disdain. By bypassing the FCT SWAN EXCO and majority of our members at their events, they have left us with no option but to respond,” the statement read.
As part of the resolution, no story, photo, or link from today’s NPFL event is permitted on the FCT SWAN platform. Any such post will be deleted immediately.
The move marks one of the most confrontational steps taken by FCT SWAN in recent memory, and has already sparked heated reactions among Abuja journalists, many of whom see it as a long-overdue stand against what they call NPFL’s arrogance.
Analysts warn the standoff could snowball into a national row within SWAN, putting pressure on the NPFL board to address accusations of sidelining, neglect, and selective recognition of journalists across the country.
The development raises critical questions:
- Why has the NPFL chosen to bypass Abuja journalists in the capital city, the very seat of Nigerian football’s political power?
- Is this a deliberate attempt to weaken SWAN’s influence?
- Will other SWAN chapters rally behind FCT SWAN’s position?
For now, one thing is clear: the tables have been shaken, and the rift between Nigerian football’s most powerful league and the nation’s journalists is widening.
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