Club chairmen deny NPL Congress boycott

Heartland General Manager, Fan Ndubuoke

League club chairmen and owners have denied shunning the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) Congress set to hold on Thursday, December 6 in Kano.

Speaking on behalf of the group on Monday, Heartland General Manager, Fan Ndubuoke dismissed reports that the chairmen did not want to go to Kano because of safety reasons and due to grouse with the nature in which the state’s club Pillars won the 2011/2012 league title.  

According to Ndubuoke, the group was instead concerned about the various issues raised about the NPL recently and how they would be handled to avoid future problems. He noted that it is for this reason that the group chose to have its own parallel meeting on Wednesday, about 24 hours before the NPL Congress begins.

The meeting would allow the group face the NPL and ensure that the necessary areas are tackled before the new season kicks off.

“We are not opposed to going to Kano. What we are saying is that there should be a platform for all chairmen to meet and discuss on issues and draw up an agenda with which we will confront the NPL on Thursday at the Congress. So, all club owners will meet on Wednesday, we will review the past season and look at those issues bothering us and be able to articulate our position.

“The NPL says we should go to Kano, but we are saying that we would like to meet first. We have not met for over a year now two weeks ago, when the zonal committee met in Calabar. And that meeting was not in partnership with the NPL board.

“What we want is that since all the issues from allegations of mismanagement to money disappearing in the accounts department and auditor’s report all emanated from the NPL, we would want the board to meet with us and brief us on what is true or not. So far, all we know is secondhand information.

“We feel we need to be told what is happening before the NPL can meet.

“We are not talking of safety. Who is safe? Whether driving, riding or flying, anything could happen, so that is not our bother. We are concerned with issues on which we have not been briefed,” Ndubuoke said.