By Fisayo Dairo
Chairman of the Main Organising Committee of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) Alabo Boma Iyaye says the bid to stage the next edition for the Festival will be thrown open for willing states.
Ijaye disclosed this much in a chat with newsmen on Monday as curtains fell on hostilities at the inaugural edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival staged in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State since the 1st of April.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had made a ceremonial bid for his state to host the next edition during the colourful opening ceremony held to herald the Festival at the Uyo Township Stadium last Wednesday but Iyaye, while appreciating his interest says it is still open for any willing bids.
“We want states to have the zeal, to be interested (in hosting the Festival). We will pride ourselves in our success (of this edition) because there is a lot of mileage to our product.
“So we will throw the bid for the next edition open for interested states. We have the product now, it is the platform we have created and we will come to them to plan,” said Iyaye.
Iyaye, the Executive Director of Finance and Administration of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says that while there were not much interests in hosting the Festival before the first edition, the success recorded by the inaugural one has made it a sellable project.
While applauding Akwa-Ibom state for being a wonderful host, Iyaye said the time is now for willing states to come out and partner with the Commission for the successful staging of future Festivals.
“I must admit I did not know Akwa Ibom were this blessed in terms of facilities and I must commend them for being good hosts. Now, we have a good product to market for other states with NDDC sitting down and discussing what and what they will bring to the table.”
With the MOC already proposing a biennial Festival, it is expected that a bidding war will emerge among Niger Delta states ahead of the next edition.
