Chairman of Anambra State Football Association, Chief Chikelue Iloenyosi has threatened to drag the Interim Management Committee, IMC, the body responsible for the running of the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL and the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF to CAF, FIFA if they don’t stop the illegality perpetrated by some people.
He made the threat yesterday at the White Hart Hotel and Apartment, Wuye, Abuja.
Chikelue who is an ex-international revealed that Article 9 of NFF Statutes does not permit any State Government in the country to have two clubs in the league.
Recalled that presently, Abia State has two clubs – Enyimba Football Club of Aba and Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia, two clubs sponsored by government even though there are claims that the latter is being funded by a local government.
The Anambra FA boss advised the State to rather merge the two clubs just like what was witnessed with Rivers State when Sharks FC and Dolphins FC were merged to have the present Rivers United of Port-Harcourt.
Chikelue warned that if they don’t do the needful and the country’s football ruling body, NFF don’t stop the two teams from participating in the league, he will have no choice but to take the case to the Confederation of Africa Football, CAF, world football governing body, FIFA where he is confident he will get judgement.
His words, “I want to let everybody know that there is law in everything we are doing in Nigeria and the law must be respected and Abia State Government has two teams – Enyimba and Abia Warriors. Under the law, a State Government is not supposed to have two teams in the same, it is wrong, that is why I am granting this interview.
“I am going to write to the Minister of Sports, I am going to write the people running the league, IMC, also to NFF, CAF and FIFA. Enyimba and Abia Warriors supposed to merge as one team. Let’s begin to do the right thing. The government in place now is a government of integrity that wants to get things done properly. I am standing as Anambra State FA chairman to support and call on the NFF President, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau to make sure that he looks into this matter and ensure that Enyimba and Abia Warriors don’t participate in the league,” he concluded.
You can get the full interview on our YouTube channel – News Hunter Channel
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