NPFL: Remo Stars in Must-win Clash with Kano Pillars to Keep Title Hopes Alive 

Ahead of Saturday’s crucial NPFL clash between hosts Remo Stars and Kano Pillars, Sodiq Ismaila has insisted that the Ikenne side can not afford to drop points against theSai Masu Gidain their quest to win their first Nigerian league title.

The Match-day 34 clash between Remo Stars and Kano Pillars  will be broadcast live on StarTimes Beta Sports channel 244.

Remo Stars are third in standing on same 56 points as second placed Enyimba. Leaders Enugu Rangers  are four points clear at the top on 60 points.

Speaking ahead of the game, Ismaila stressed that Remo Stars must win the encounter if they want to keep their dream alive.

“We cannot go for anything less but victory against Kano Pillars on Sunday if we want to keep our ambition of winning the league title this season alive,” observed the 21-year-old defender.

His coach, Dan Ogunmodede was equally expansive in his preview of the Match-day 34 Clash in Ikenne with Kano Pillars.

“This match is an important one for us. If we drop a point, we are out of the race. So we must strive to win this game,” stressed Ogunmodede.

Meanwhile, the NPFL has reiterated that the broadcast rights deal signed with Startimes was not just the only offer it received at the time but the best negotiated partnership that came after over six years of the league not shown on television.

Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye made this submission in response to a publication that suggested that the NPFL snubbed an offer of $11million proposed by a shadowy character.

“When the Interim Management Committee (IMC) which I headed came on board, there was not a single sponsorship for the league but we later got an investment partner in GTI that guaranteed N1billion for the season”, Elegbeleye stated.

He recalled that amongst several other terms of reference, the IMC was mandated to secure television broadcast for the league.

“It is on record that the last effective broadcast partnership the NPFL had was with Supersport and it was terminated in 2016. Thereafter the league went on without proper broadcast partner until we signed Propel Sports Africa for streaming and shortly after, Startimes for Direct to Home Satellite broadcast.

“These deals were not signed overnight but took painstaking negotiations that lasted for months because we wanted to make sure it was the right thing to do”, explained Elegbeleye.