Akwa Ibom state government has declared this weekend’s inconsequential AFCON qualifier between Nigeria and Tanzania free to enable fans cheer the Super Eagles to victory.
State commissioner for youths and sports Mr Monday Ukoh announced this yesterday during an interview with a local radio station in Uyo.
Ukoh said the gesture would enable more fans watch the Eagles and to ensure a fuller house at the 30,000 capacity Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, venue of the encounter.
The commissioner reasoned that the state government were not also unaware of the economic challenges facing many Nigerians especially youths, hence the need to assist them with free tickets to watch the game.
However Uyo fans have called on the state government not to politicise the tickets as such actions in the past have denied genuine football fans in the area of watching the Super Eagles.
According to one of the fans Abasiama James, the free tickets by the state government is commendable but it should be made available to everybody on first come first serve basis.
“Nice one, but the tickets should be make available for every body, they should not politicize it as usual.
“ It is not a political event, it’s a football match of the National Team not a political party team, so the idea where only political groups are given d tickets should be stopped.” He said
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