The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Yakubu Dogara, has appealed to Nigeria’s U-23 Dream Team at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympics not to boycott their upcoming match against Denmark on Saturday.
This is contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Turaki Hassan, in Abuja on Friday.
According to him, the House will ensure that they are paid all their entitlements.
Dogara spoke against the backdrop of complaints of team’s Head Coach, Samson Siasia, that the players of the team have refused to train and might boycott the tie due to unpaid allowances and wages.
The speaker urged the team to take patriotism as a fulcrum of their campaign, adding that he would do everything within his powers to intervene in the matter.
He said the team with the likes of Mikel Obi, Yakubu Umar, Oghenekaro Etebor and William Troost-Ekong had a very bright chance of repeating the feat of the Atlanta ’96.
“We will do all we can to ensure that all entitlements due to the team are paid as we are already talking to relevant government agencies,’’ he said.
He further said that football being the major unifying factor in the country should be maximised by all for Nigeria’s continued unity.
“We will stop at nothing to ensure that we get the team to excel in Brazil and for Nigeria to recreate the watershed of Atlanta 96, ‘’ Dogara added.
(NAN)
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