The Bayelsa United Football Club Board has expressed confidence that the club will secure promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) at the end of the 2026/2027 Nigeria National League (NNL) season.

A member of the board in charge of Technical Affairs, Godson Abaikade, said the club had spent almost four months preparing for the new campaign and recruited players capable of achieving the state government’s promotion target.

Abaikade stated this on Friday during the official unveiling of Bayelsa United’s 35-man squad ahead of the commencement of the 2026/2027 NNL season.

He said the board was determined to fulfil Governor Douye Diri’s directive to ensure the club returns to the NPFL after its relegation.

“Simply put, the team is ready. We have spent almost four months preparing this team for the opening game, and, by the grace of God, the opening match will signal that we are ready to work towards achieving the governor’s mandate.

“The governor has made it very clear that we need to go back to the NPFL, and that is what we are doing as a board. We are monitoring everything happening with Bayelsa United,” he said.

The board member acknowledged that the NNL was highly competitive but maintained that the technical crew had been given a clear mandate to secure promotion within one season.

“We know that the NNL is tough, and we are also giving our coaches the same mandate that the governor has given us.

“The governor did not give that mandate to the coaches; he gave it to us, and we have transferred it to the coaches. They know that this job is tough. Before they took it, they knew the job was difficult, taking the club to the NPFL in just one season,” Abaikade stated.

He expressed optimism that the players recruited for the new season possessed the quality to deliver on the promotion target, adding that the club would begin its campaign with determination.

“We have prepared the players that will do that for us, and, by the grace of God, on Sunday, we will set the ball rolling, and Bayelsans will be very proud of this team,” he added.

On the welfare of the players, Abaikade disclosed that the club had maintained the welfare standard it enjoyed while competing in the NPFL, describing Bayelsa United’s package as competitive among NNL clubs.

“In the NNL, Bayelsa United is one of the teams with the best welfare packages. We retained the same benchmark that the team was getting when they were in the NPFL.

“In terms of welfare packages, I think we have done well. His Excellency gave us that mandate and backed it up with a wonderful welfare package for the team,” he said.