Clubs Plan Shutdown Of Nigeria’s Third-Tier League

Clubs under the um
brella of Northern Zone NLO Forum have threatened a showdown with Nigeria’s third-tier league, claiming they may be forced to quit the competition because of “punitive” financial demands and lack of transparency as regards the accounts of the Nationwide League One.
In a petition addressed to the NFF general secretary and signed by Murtala Sambo (North East), Salisu Ibrahim (North West) and Baba Ali Lokoja (North Central), the clubs rejected the decision of the NLO board to impose a 300 per cent hike in registration fees for the coming season.
“In a new era of change and accountability, the NLO management has continued to tax Nationwide League clubs outrageous amounts of money which may make many of us no longer to stay afloat,” read the petition in part and which was variously copied to the Sports Minister, the national assembly, CAF and FIFA.
“The time of deceit and corruption has run its course and we therefore call on the authorities concerned to bring the NLO secretary to order before he kills the bedrock of Nigerian football (Nationwide League One) once and for all.”
They insist the decision to hike registration fees was never ratified by the congress.
The clubs equally demanded for audited accounts of the league for the past season “to clear all allegations”, while also requesting for the composition and documentation of the newly registered company which will now manage the country’s third-tier championship.