NPFL: Remo Stars CEO Urges Referees To Do Better Ahead Of Second Stanza

NPFL: Remo Stars CEO Urges Referees To Do Better Ahead Of Second Stanza

Sampson Adedeji

Ahead of the second stanza of the 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, the Chief Executive Officer of Remo Stars, Hon. Kunle Soname, has called on match officials to raise their standards and ensure fairness in officiating, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Soname made the remarks on Wednesday while speaking to journalists at the Remo Stars Sports Complex in Ikenne, Ogun State. 

He explained that the club’s concerns stem from what he described as repeated and “clear and obvious” officiating errors that have, in his view, unfairly influenced match outcomes.

According to the Remo Stars boss, referees are capable of doing their jobs effectively but often choose to apply the rules inconsistently. 

He noted that while some errors may not directly lead to goals, persistent bias in 50-50 decisions can significantly affect the balance of a game.

“Referees can be good. They can get the job done. They just decide to apply the rules in a different way,” Soname said. 

“There are many instances where their bias will not result in goals, but 50-50 calls are consistently given to one side. If there is a body that watches all games and holds referees accountable, then everyone will sit up and the game will be fair.”

Soname also urged the relevant committees to introduce a more effective accountability system, recommending that referees who perform well should be rewarded, while those who consistently officiate poorly should face strict sanctions. He suggested demotion to the Nigeria National League (NNL) for underperforming referees, insisting such demotions should last an entire season rather than a few weeks.

“The committee should reward referees who are doing great jobs and punish those with poor officiating by demoting them to the NNL. It should not be the kind of demotion where after one or two weeks they are back,” he stated.

Addressing possible perceptions that his comments were an attack on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Soname clarified that his criticism was directed at the referee appointment committee, not the federation itself.

“They will say, ‘He’s attacking NFF.’ It has got nothing to do with NFF. NFF did not appoint referees. 

It is the committee that appointed the referees. NFF did not hold the whistle to come and do stupid things on the pitch,” he added.

Soname concluded by calling on the NFF to ensure that competent and principled individuals are placed in charge of referee appointments, stressing that accountability and fairness are essential for the growth of football in Nigeria.

“The NFF needs to put proper people there to ensure accountability and fairness. If there is fairness on the pitch, this football will grow astronomically in this country,” he said.