Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has lauded the fighting spirit of the Super Eagles in the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.
Umahi made the commendation in a congratulatory message to the Eagles signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Uzor, and made available to newsmen in Abakaliki on Wednesday.
He said, “The unity of purpose and character displayed by the players showed that the team is capable of returning to Nigeria with the trophy.”
Umahi, who is the Chairman of the South East Governor Forum, urged Nigerians to emulate and apply similar spirit in their approach to national development.
The governor, who was said to have adjourned the state Executive Councl meeting to be able to watch the Eagles versus Guinea encounter, also congratulated the team for being the first to qualify for the second round of the tournament.
He called on the team and its management to amicably resolve all issues concerning match bonuses and other entitlements for the players and officials.
“I am optimistic that Nigeria’s sports will improve with proper harnessing of talents which abound in the country.
“We should shun ethnicity in the nation’s football because it (football) has proved to be a unifying factor in Nigeria,” he said.
Nigeria defeated Guinea 1-0 in Alexandria to qualify for the round-of-16.
