The Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Deji Tinubu, said on Sunday that the state had no plan to own a football club for now.
Tinubu, who made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos, said the state government would support the clubs based in the state.
The assertion lays to rest speculations and suggestions from some quarters that the centre of excellence ought to have a club playing in the Nigerian Premiership or the lower division.
Tinubu, who says he supports Nottingham Forest FC of England, a club that had won back to back the UEFA Champions League, told NAN: “The state will go all out to support the Lagos-based teams.”
NAN reports that two Lagos-based teams, Mountain of Fire and Miracles FC and Ikorodu United, recently gained promotion to campaign in the 2015/2016 Glo Premier League.
Tinubu said the government had fashioned out incentives to encourage the teams in the elite division.
He said: “There is no plan by the state government to own a team now.
“Even those clubs that in the past were based in Lagos were not owned by the government.
“The defunct Stationary Stores and Julius Berger were not owned by us.
“They were just based in Lagos.
“Thankfully, we now have two teams that are qualified to play in the elite division.
“MFM FC and Ikorodu United will be playing in the Premier League when the 2015/2016 season commences.
“So, what we will do is to support them to excel.
“They will get free use of our stadia on match days.
“They own more or less the stadium for matches.
“We will also support the people of Lagos to go and watch them.”
Tinubu disclosed that the government had come up with clear cut policies that would be beneficial to the clubs.
NAN.
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