Giwa FC has been granted provisional approval to participate in the 2013/14 Glo Premier League as the club was adjudged by the League Management Company (LMC) to have substantially met four of the requirements listed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) at its emergency meeting that considered the appeal by the two clubs that failed registration requirements at the start of the season.
However, the second club, Nembe City FC has been given up to close of business today, April 2 to make good some of the conditions it failed to meet and which included the dissociation of the Club from dealings with its former Chairman, Chief Victor Rumson Baribote, currently serving a 15 year ban imposed by the NFF. Baribote is also at various stages of litigation against the LMC and NFF and the Club did not provide any proof of discontinuation of the cases.
In separate letters to the two clubs signed by Salihu Abubakar, the LMC Chief Operating Officer, reference was made to the four conditions imposed by the NFF on the Clubs and which they were to meet within seven days to be eligible to participate in the fixtures. The four conditions include submission of a signed letter of allegiance to the LMC in accordance with the approved format, appoint a stadium to be inspected and approved by the LMC, submission of detailed Medical Profile (passport) of all players in line with the LMC approved Medical forms and discontinuation of all matters and litigations in court.
“The LMC can confirm that Plateau State Football Association officials have provided us evidence of discontinuance of cases filed against the LMC by associates of Giwa FC. This evidence has been verified by our Lawyers”, Abubakar stated.
Specifically, Giwa FC was directed to write a formal letter of acknowledgment upon receipt of the letter of conditional approval as a pre-condition to be allowed to play the rescheduled Match Day 4 fixture against Rangers International on Wednesday in Jos. The letter from Giwa FC was received by the LMC Tuesday night and signed by the Chairman, Chris Giwa, it thanked the LMC “for the opportunity given Giwa FC to be back to play in the Glo NPL. We pledge our loyalty to the league body”.
The LMC in granting provisional approval for Giwa FC to join the league also set out other conditions to be met on or before June 24 in line with the ruling of the NFF emergency meeting. Top of these conditions was a directive to the Club to ensure that it filed a proper letter of allegiance using the form provided to it and with no caveat attached as was the case with the filing that led to the Club’s disqualification. Other conditions are the submission of N25m performance guarantee, submission of new contract documents with the players indicating compliance with the N150, 000 minimum wage with verifiable proof of payment and thirdly, all other registration requirements as provided for in the minimum registration conditions. Failure to meet any of these conditions will lead to the LMC applying relevant sanctions including but not limited to deduction of nine points from the already accrued points.
Giwa FC are further required to provide a proper lease agreement with the owners of the Rwang Pam Stadium in Jos using the sample lease agreement designed by the LMC and also providing details of stadium certification. The Club was further directed to embark on stadium upgrade to correct defects observed by LMC Stadium inspectors during the pre-season inspection exercise.
“Note that failure to comply with any of the requirements by Match Day 9 will result in your stadium being banned and your team moved to another venue and or points deduction as provided for in the rules and regulations”, LMC warned in the letter.
Though, Nembe City provided a letter granting the club access to use the Krisdera Hotel Stadium for its home games and a letter of allegiance to the LMC signed by Mrs. Ebiakpo Rumson, the Club failed to provide valid Medical Profile (passport) of their players as well as not signing and submitting LMC Form 17 for list of authorized Club signatories.
“Your Club has substantially failed to comply with the four mandatory conditions required to be fulfilled within seven days of the NFF decision to allow your Club re-admission into the League”, Abubakar wrote to Nembe City and concluded, “note that failure to comply with any of these requirements by 5pm on Wednesday, April 2nd 2014 will result in your Club being banned from the 2013/14 Nigeria Professional Football League season as provided by the NFF Emergency Committee decision of March 24, 2014 on your appeal”.
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