The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has clarified that it was not part of the meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation, club owners and other stakeholders convened to decide on how best to end the ongoing season, which was put on hold due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement signed by the permanent secretary of the ministry of youths and sports, Mr Gabriel Aduda said following a visual meeting presided by the honourable.
‘The minister had directed the NFF to come up with the best possible options to end the league, in the spirit of fair play and justice.
Minister on Monday, the ministry directed that an enlarged meeting of the stakeholders be convened to deliberate, agree and find a way forward and NFF should revert to the ministry. “Although the ministry was invited, it decided to exclude itself to enable the stakeholders thrash out the critical issues and revert to the ministry. The final decision on the league would be guided by the COVID-19 protocols and infrastructure.
The minister had taken a bold decision by advising the federal government to postpone the Edo National Sports Festival earlier scheduled for March 20-April 1 due to the pandemic.
Anaedoonline.com reported that the League Management Company (LMC) scheduled an expanded meeting between the leadership of NFF, LMC, and NPFL Clubs, June 24, 2020 by 1pm via video conferencing (Zoom Meeting ).
A message from the LMC secretariat last night said both the LMC and the NFF may also invite some stakeholders as observers to the meeting.
“The Agenda is to discuss the Conclusion of the 2019/2020 NPFL Season as voted by the clubs and forwarded to the LMC,” the statement said.
The NFF President and other football leaders in the country are expected to be part of the meeting.
“All NPFL clubs Chairmen are expected to attend and if unavailable are to please nominate a proxy to represent the club to the LMC through the club owners before 10am of June 24, 2020.
On Sunday evening, 17 chairmen of Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs voted that the 2019/20 season should come to an end with the top three clubs representing Nigeria at the CAF interclubs competition in the next season
A statement issued at the end of the voting session by the Executive Secretary of the Club Owners Association, Alloy Chukwuma, showed that only Rangers International of Enugu voted for the Super 6 option for the winners to emerge as well as the three clubs to represent the country in next season’s continental campaign. Akwa United of Uyo and Lobi Stars of Makurdi abstained from voting.
The 17 clubs also voted for neither promotion from the lower cadre nor relegation of any of the NPFL clubs.
The votes by the clubs chieftains was one of the four options tables by the League Management Company (LMC) on how to end the season disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
League leaders Plateau United won’t be crown champions should the 2019-2020 NPFL season is canceled.
It would be recalled that the NPFL season was suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic and the Nigerian government isn’t keen on a return of Sporting anytime soon.
After round of 25 matches, Plateau remain on top of the log with 13 matches yet to be decided.
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