Sports
NPFL: Appeal Court Upholds Giwa FC’s Expulsion

The Court of Appeal, Jos Division, has struck down the order of the High Court of Plateau State directing the League Management Company (LMC) to compulsorily re-instate Giwa FC to the Nigeria Professional Football (NPFL), after the Jos based Club had been expelled from the NPFL for multiple infractions of the Rules and Framework of the League in the 2015/16 season.
Three issues were before the Court of Appeal in Jos for determination and they included, one, LMC’s challenge of Justice Kunda of the High Court of Plateau State exparte order directing the reinstatement of Giwa FC into the NPFL in a case filed by Mustapha Abubakar on behalf of Giwa FC against LMC pending hearing of the case.
The second issue was LMC’s challenge of Justice Kunda’s order suspending the NPFL pending the determination of the appeal after he had ruled that his court lacked the power to continue hearing the case following LMC’s appeal of his first order asking him to stay off the case.
The third was LMC’s appeal of the order of Justice Kunda charging and convicting two officials of the LMC in their absence for contempt for not obeying his earlier order suspending the league.
The Court of Appeal in Jos consolidated the three appeals and delivered judgment read by Hon. Justice H. O. A Abiru, ruling on the first, that Kunda lacked the competence to order for Giwa’s reinstatement into the NPFL. It dismissed that order of the High Court of Plateau State on the grounds that Mustapha, who sued the LMC had no locus on the matter and Kunda was hasty in giving the exparte order instead of hearing from all parties.
The Jos Appeal Court on the second issue set aside the particular order and all other consequential orders made by the lower court on its basis, including the orders committing to prison the Chairman of LMC, Shehu Dikko, and its Chief Operating Officer, Salihu Abubakar, for failing to obey the reinstatement order.
LMC and its officials had maintained consistently that they were not bound by law to obey the orders of the lower Jos High Court because they had already appealed against those same orders.
However, the Court of Appeal upheld the order of the lower Court suspending the 2015/2016 season of the League, pending appeal.
Counsel to LMC, Mr. Olumide Olujinmi applauded the decisions of the Appeal Court as described
Sports
CAFCC: Supporters Club Chairman Frowns Against Stadium Rejection
The Chairman of Rivers United Supporters Club, Franklin Owhor, has frowned against the rejection of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt to host any of CAF Confederation’s Cup, (CAFCC) games.
He said the rejection will deny United to get total home support when the CAFCC competiition starts next week, saying that playing at home has its own peculiar advantage.
Owhor said this on Wednesday in a telephone interview with Tidesports after the reports from CAF that said the Nigeria Professional Football League ( NPFL) champions had adopted the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo for their home matches.
CAF has earlier asked the management of Rivers United to renovate the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, to International standard, saying that the Stadium lack some basic facilities to host international football competitions.
“ We will still give our maximum support to our team even though the matches will be played in Uyo, but it is painful that we are playing our home games outside our home.
“ I remember when Rivers United FC played in Enyimba Stadium sometimes ago, it was not so good for the team and we saw what happened .
“But I will say that Godswill Akpabio International Stadium is like a home to Rivers United FC, you can see we defeated Dakkada FC in Uyo so we conceived no tension and fear.
“I use this opportunity to appeal to the State Government through Ministry of Sports to try their best and return” the team back to its base, ‘ Owhor said.
By: Kiadum Edookor
Sports
NPFL: Boboye Denies Wikki Tourists Move
Former Akwa United coach, Kennedy Boboye, has dissociated himself from speculations linking him with the coaching job of Nigeria Professional Football League side, Wikki Tourists Tidesports source reports.
The Wikki job became vacant after former handler, Kabiru Dogo, resigned his appointment after amassing only one point in four games.
Following Dogo’s exit, reports have linked the former Plateau United and Sunshine Stars coach with the Giant Elephants, as tweeted by league journalist, Taye Hassan, on Wednesday.
“Kennedy Boboye could be the next tactician to be in Wikki Tourists dugout as information is coming in from a close source in Bauchi,” Hassan posted.
However, Boboye waved off the speculation in a telephone interview with Tidesports source.
“Anything you guys see, just conclude with it, I have been hearing this thing since yesterday,” Boboye said.
While Wikki Tourists have also confirmed the exit of Dogo, the club has put head coach Abdullah Adamu in charge of the squad.
After his spell with Sunshine Stars in 2015, Boboye won the league with Plateau United and Akwa United in 2017 and 2022 respectively, leaving both jobs the following season.
Sports
Bendel Insurance Coach Set To Win LBA Award
Bendel Insurance coach Monday Odigie has emerged as the clear favourite to win the League Bloggers Coach of The Month Award for January in the already five-week-old 2022/23 Nigeria Professional Football League.
Odigie is contending with Lobi Stars Mohammed Baba-Ganaru, Stanley Eguma of Rivers United as well as Daniel Ogunmodede of Remo Stars for the award.
From their respective numbers in the month under review, Odigie stands above the rest with four wins in four games. Baba-Ganaru, Eguma and Ogunmodede all secured three wins in four matches for their respective teams.
Also, Odigie’s Bendel Insurance have met Remo this season with the Benin Arsenal reigning supreme with a 3-0 win in Benin City.
In the Player of The month category, current league top scorer and Bendel Insurance forward Osarenkhoe Imade also leads the pack with his impressive four goals in four games in the month under review.
Imade scored his first goal on the opening day against Akwa United in Uyo, before following it up with further strikes against Plateau United, Kwara United and Remo.
Other players in the running for the award include Imade’s strike partner, Ismael Sarki, who scored three goals in January; Insurance goalkeeper, Amas Obasogie, who kept three clean sheets.
Lobi Stars duo Joseph Atule and Kumaga Suur and Onyebuchi Ifeanyi of Plateau United are also on the nomination list.
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