Gov Otti Hails Enyimba Over League Triumph, Dedicates Trophy to Abia People

*IMC ties portion of  ₦100m prize money to players’ recruitment, facility upgrade

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo  in Umuahia 

The Governor of Abia State, Mr. Alex Otti, has congratulated Enyimba International FC of Aba for winning the club’s ninth title of the Nigerian Premier League (NPL)  at the weekend.

Otti said that the victory was not only exciting but also a sign of better things to come under his administration, which is barely two weeks old. 

The People’s Elephant lifted their ninth league trophy after topping the 2022/23 NPL Super 6 Playoffs table last Sunday in Lagos.

In a congratulatory message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kazie Uko, Otti dedicated Enyimba’s triumph to the People of Abia, who have remained steadfast in supporting their darling team. 

The governor noted the significance of Enyimba’s achievement, describing it as the second most important thing to happen to Abians this year, after the March 18, 2023 election that brought him to power. 

“This is a victory for Abia people, who have for a long time been traumatised. We are glad this is happening early under our watch. It is a sign of better things to come for our state and its people,” the elated Abia chief executive enthused yesterday.

“I want to congratulate the People’s Elephant, as we call Enyimba, on this exciting victory. I also like to congratulate the club’s management and the Senior Special Assistant on Sports, Mr. Chinedu Ekeke, for their resilience in ensuring that the club participated in that competition in Lagos”. 

Otti recalled that Enyimba were nearly on the verge of not participating in the Super 6 playoffs due to paucity of funds experienced by the club after the change of government. 

He said: “At a point, it looked like their participation was not going to be possible, due to paucity of funds. We had only just assumed office. But we rallied round to raise money for the club”. 

The new governor of Abia was said to have spoken with the Enyimba players shortly before they filed out against Rivers United in their decisive last match of the playoffs. That morale-boosting pep-talk worked as Enyimba played a 1-1 draw that was enough to see them smiling away with the trophy.

Meanwhile, the Interim Management Committee has tied the ₦100million prize money won by Enyimba International to recruitment of players and development of the club infrastructure.

Chairman of the NPL Interim Management Committee (IMC), Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye, laid the charge to the Club Chairman, Felix Anyansi Agwu during a meeting with the NPFL Clubs Chairmen in Lagos on Monday. 

Elegbeleye explained that the prize money which would be credited to the club’s bank account within the week has been tied to strengthening the club to compete favourably on the continent and meet infrastructural conditions set by Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) for hosting the CAF Champions League. 

“Let me again congratulate Enyimba International for emerging the champions but it has to be stated that in line with the developmental trajectories of the IMC and our investment partners, GTI, there is a portion of the money tied to certain projects. 

“Of the ₦100million, the club must spend a minimum of ₦25million on quality players recruitment to strengthen their squad and be able to represent the country well in the CAF Champions League next season. 

“Another ₦25million of the prize money must be spent by the club on upgrading of facilities in the stadium identified to fall short of acceptable standards while the remaining ₦50m is at the disposal of the Club to spend as it considers appropriate.”