The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Dr. Peter Akpe, has applauded the organisers of the 2026 Bayelsa Governor’s Cup for the high standard of organisation and quality of football displayed in this year’s competition.
Dr. Akpe gave the commendation on Thursday while speaking with journalists during the halftime break of the third-place match between Mountain of the Lord’s Deliverance Ministry (MLDM) FC of Odi and Crusaders FC of Peretorugbene at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa.
The Deputy Governor, who performed the ceremonial kick-off for the encounter, described Bayelsa as a major hub for grassroots football development in Nigeria, stressing that the annual tournament was designed to discover young talents and steer youths away from crime and other social vices.
According to him, players participating in the tournament were drawn from all the local government areas of the state, further underscoring the competition’s inclusiveness and grassroots focus.
Dr. Akpe expressed optimism that several outstanding players discovered during the tournament would secure opportunities in both local and international football clubs.
“I think the purpose for which this event is organised is being achieved by my assessment. Through this programme, we have discovered great talents and we will continue to discover more and export them to the Nigerian League and the world,” he said.
He noted that the competition had witnessed remarkable improvement over the years, adding that greater attention should be given to grassroots sports development across the country.
“From what we have seen so far, there is a very high level of improvement in the tournament. As a state and even at the national level, we should take grassroots sports development seriously.
“If you forget the grassroots, that means your investment will yield little or nothing. That is why I commend the organisers of this grassroots tournament for going to all the nooks and crannies of Bayelsa State,” he added.
Speaking on the declining fortunes of Bayelsa United in the Nigerian football league, the Deputy Governor assured supporters that the state government was taking proactive measures to reposition the club.
“I agree with you that it is a challenge to us. But when you have challenges, you go back to the drawing board. This grassroots event is what we are really going to encourage to see how we are going to put ourselves back to where we have been before. I can assure you that our team will bounce back again,” he stated.
In the third-place match, MLDM FC of Odi defeated Crusaders FC of Peretorugbene 4-3 on penalties after both sides played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in regulation time.
Dignitaries present at the event included the Chairman of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly Committee on Sports, Hon. Tare Porri; Commissioner for Sports Development, Chief Daniel Igali; Director General of the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, Mr. Ono Akpe; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports Development, Mr. Pere Efeke; Director of Sports, Bayelsa State Sports Council, Mr. Bibowei Lambert; as well as FC Barcelona scouts, Mr. Alberto Lafuente and Bernat Villa Gorriz.
