Two prominent football administrators Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima and Adegboye Onigbinde yesterday supported the purported moves by business mogul Alhaji Aliko Dangote to buy shares in Arsenal Football Club of London.

Speaking to Trustsports in a telephone interview yesterday, both Galadima and Onigbinde said the nation's football league is not yet developed for businessmen to come and invest in it.

Though, the billionaire tycoon yesterday denied reports that he has plans to buy a 16 percent stake in English Premier League club, both Galadima and Onigbinde said until such an environment is created in the Nigerian league, Nigerians will continue to go for foreign clubs to purchase shares.

According to Galadima, as a businessman, Dangote has the right to put his money where he believes it would yield profit for him, which is why he chose to invest in the London club. He stated that the Nigerian football league as it is presently constituted is not open to individuals and corporate bodies to buy shares in existing clubs.

The former NFA Chairman added that if the situation improves, he believes that as a businessman who knows his onions, Dangote would consider investing in any of the Nigerian clubs.

"The Nigerian league as at now is not open for people to buy shares in clubs; it is not like in other countries of the world. Almost all the clubs are owned by state governments, so it is very difficult for people to come and buy shares.

"But Dangote as a businessman who knows his onions, I am sure he will in future consider investing in Nigerian football base on what is on ground", Galadima stated. Similarly, former Super Eagles handler Adegboye Onigbinde said the decision by Dangote was based on business interest and he has no quarrel with it.

According to him, those saddled with the task of developing the Nigerian league to attract interest have failed the nation; therefore it is not a surprise that Nigerians are looking elsewhere for clubs to invest in.

He however noted that as a Nigerian with genuine interest in the development of the nation's football, no matter the situation, he would advise Dangote to put his money and help develop the game.

"Dangote is a businessman and he took the decision based business interest, and again there is nothing to purchase from the Nigerian league, where are the players to go and watch? We are not developing the league to attract interest from individuals and organizations.

"Again, there are two issues here, business interest and the interest of the game, and I don't know the level of interest he has in football, if he has genuine interest, I would have stay and develop Nigerian football league", Onigbinde stated.

Efforts to get reaction from the Nigerian Premier League secretariat on the matter proved abortive as several call to the NPL Executive Secretary Al-Hassan Yakmut were not picked.