Dokubo Vows To Fight NPL Ban

The chairman of Rivers State Referees council, Dabo-Ere Dokubo has vowed to contest the recent bank handed to him and others by a Nigerian Football Federation panel over alleged match-fixing, to the highs level.

Dokubo, Dolphins FC’s Technical Manager, Stanley Eguma, Dolphins FC, Sunshine FC and one of its official, Divine Benjamin were handed series of bans and fines on Wednesday by the panel that investigated alleged match fixing in last season’s Nigeria premier league match involving Lobi Stars of Makurdi and Sunshine Stars of Akure.

While Dokubo was banned for five years from participating in any football, matter, Eguma and Benjamin were handed similar punishment, while Sunshine Stars FC fine the sum of N20million for its alleged involvement.

The alleged culprits were however given 48 hours to appeal their respective sanctions according to the NPL rule.

However, Dokubo said that the panel did not have any prove linking him to the alleged match-fixing and declared he was going to contest it.

“If you want to hammer those that are guilty in any match fixing, you have to do your home work very well and find out those involved with proof and apply the sanctions accordingly.

Here in Nigeria, everything is done wrongly. For example, when AC Milan and Juventus were involved in match fixing in Serie A, they were relegated to the lower division, same thing when Olympic Marseille was found guilty in France, they were stripped of  their titles and relegated,” said Dokubo.

The referees Chairman further noted that, if actually clubs were guilty, monetary fine would not be enough.

“Since they did not handle the matter properly I will also go outside the NPL/NFF to fight my case and clear my name,” he added.

Tidesports could not reach coach Stanley Eguma as at press time as he was not picking calls put through his phone.

Gabriel Wanetanya and Tonye Orabere