RUMBLE IN THE NPFL!
*Shaibu threatens to pull out Bendel Insurance from league
Duro Ikhazuagbe
In apparent reference to the perceived injustice of the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Organising and Disciplinary Committee to restore the three points and three goals earlier deducted from Remo Stars, Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has threatened to pull out the state owned Bendel Insurance from the NPFL.
The Interim Management Committee (IMC) earlier deducted three points and three goals from Remo Stars following the report of alleged violence on the Centre Referee, Ndubuisi Ukah, that was in-charge of Remo’s home game versus Gombe United at the Ikenne Stadium. However, the NFF’s Organising and Disciplinary Committee on Saturday set aside that verdict of the IMC and restored Remo Stars’ Points on the ground that the offense lacked merit.
But speaking on Channels Television yesterday, Philip Shaibu declared that such a decision of upturning the IMC decision was not healthy for the league and feels players of Bendel Insurance were not safe to play in such environment where violence is accepted as normal.
“Bendel Insurance will have its board meeting on Tuesday but before the board meeting, we have the cause to write a letter to the NFF of our intention to withdraw from the league.
“For us, the IMC has done a great job, the league is stable, and for us, it’s about confidence for our players. We want Nigeria to do well at major competitions and the only way we can achieve that is to have a good league, a league where the players can express themselves, a league where the referees can officiate the game with the rules of the game.
“When you cannot guarantee the safety of the referee, we will not allow our players to play in a league where the security is not guaranteed,” observed the deputy governor in that television interview.
But in a popular Whatsapp platform, FUBS, financier of Remo Stars, Kunle Soname, dared the deputy governor to withdraw Bendel Insurance from the NPFL.
He also threatened to reveal some of the alleged shenanigans that have ensured Bendel Insurance remain the only team yet to be beaten this season in the NPFL.
“If push comes to shove, we will reveal all our video and audio evidences here for all to see their shenanigans. Do they think we don’t have CCTV? The evidence we provided was incontrovertible !” insists the billionaire football owner.
There was no formal reaction from the Nigeria Football Federation on the accusation and counter accusations of impropriety in the league despite the excellent job the Gbenga Elegbeleye led IMC has done to sanitize the Nigerian topflight this season.
