The Grassroot Sports Federation ( GRASOF) has announced the appointment of Comrade Emmanuel Akpan as the media head for the Senator Dr. Ekong Sampson Eket Senatorial District Unity Cup 2026.
Akpan is the sports editor of The Ink Newspaper and the chairman, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Akwa Ibom State Chapter.
Speaking on the appointment, the National President of GRASOF, Hon. John Ekpenyong, stated that the Unity Cup was designed to go beyond football.
“The aim of the Senator Dr. Ekong Sampson Unity Cup is to discover raw talents at the grassroots, take our youth off the streets, promote unity across the 12 local government areas of Eket Senatorial District, and provide a pathway for our boys to get into state-owned clubs and the national teams,”Ekpenyong stated.
“This competition is about youth empowerment, talent discovery and using sports as a unifying tool. We are grateful to our Distinguished Senator Dr. Ekong Sampson for this vision,” he added.
The GRASOF National PRO said the appointment of Akpan was deliberate to add value to the tournament through professional media coverage, publicity, documentation and national visibility.
“We are bringing in the best in sports journalism to drive the visibility of this competition. With Comrade Emmanuel Akpan as Media Head, we are sure the Senator Dr. Ekong Sampson Unity Cup will get the attention it deserves across the Niger Delta and beyond,” the PRO stressed .
The competition will kick off with an opening ceremony on September 20,2026 ,at EketTownship Stadium.
Matches will continue on September 21, 2026 at Oron Township Stadium and Ikot Abasi Centre.
The tournament will be graced by Ex-Internationals serving as ambassadors:
Friday “Femi Zico” Ekpo ,and Kingsley Udoh,etc.
The release which was signed by the national assistant public relations officer of GRASOF Comrade Abubakar Abdullahi appreciated SWAN for releasing one of its finest to serve the grassroots and the youth of Eket Senatorial District.