LMC Performance Bond: Pillars blaze trail, submit 1st quarter guarantee

Glo Premier League defending champions, Kano Pillars on Wednesday, March 26 became the first Club to comply with the Nigeria Professional Football League 2013/14 registration requirement of providing a financial performance guarantee.

The Club in a letter to the League Management Company (LMC) attached a Performance Guarantee for N25 million (N25, 000, 000) from a Fidelity Bank Plc, Kano Branch with reference number FB/007/OBG/0314/1034 and dated March 17, 2014.

The performance guarantee represents the first tranch of the quarterly guarantee of the total N100m that Clubs are required to provide under the season’s licensing requirements.

“We demanded the performance guarantee from clubs as evidence of their capacity to meet financial obligations to playing staff, other employees and vendors. It will eliminate the scourge of accumulated indebtedness especially to players by clubs”, LMC Chairman, Hon. Nduka Irabor had explained at the introduction of the registration requirements.

Clubs were prior to the start of the season mandated to provide on or before Match Day 9’of the season their performance guarantee of N25m which is renewable every quarter. The LMC Chairman commended Kano Pillars for complying with the requirement and urged other Clubs to ensure they met the deadline.

“We are delighted by the development, Kano Pillars have demonstrated a capacity to operate as a professional football club in more ways and it is our expectation that other clubs will do same and avoid the consequences of late or non-compliance”, remarked Irabor.

Clubs that fail to meet the requirement will have six points and six goals deducted from their already accrued points. The LMC has also instituted measures to monitor compliance with payment of the minimum wage as at when due to players.

Players’ contracts have been formatted or ensure that they are no longer playing without valid contracts as all the clubs were required to deposit signed copies of each player’s contract at the point of registration.

“We will go further to demand that payments are made to the players bank account. Cash transactions are to be abolished. Clubs have been directed to open salary accounts for each player.

This way, we will ensure that no club owes or under pays their staff”, Irabor explained.

The total sum of the performance guarantee is N100m but the LMC reduced it to quarterly renewable provision of N25m for ease of operations and administration for the clubs.

Giwa FC, Nembe City FC write LMC, Beg for Second Chance

Two seemingly recalcitrant Clubs which recently dragged the League Management Company (LMC) to non-football authorities may have made a U-Turn and written to the league regulator pleading to be admitted to participate in the 2013/14 Glo Premier League season. The two were adjudged by the LMC to have failed registration requirement tests and subsequently denied registration and participation in the league.

While Nembe City petitioned the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, two persons in Jos, home base of Giwa FC with no connection with the League filed separate cases seeking court ruling to compel LMC admit Giwa FC to participate in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). But in a recent twist, officials of Giwa FC and Nembe City in separate but identically worded letters addressed to the League Management Company (LMC) appealed for a further consideration of their case.

The LMC has in turn referred the appeals to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) citing existing arbitration procedures for disputes in football. In the circumstance, the NFF may decide to hand over the appeal to the License Appeals Body, the Appeals Committee or the Executive Committee. The License Appeals Body is the second instance body according to the NFF Licensing Regulations but the Federation may also decide that it follows the old regulations which refers appellate matters to the Appeals Committee and may also choose to table it before the Executive Committee which sits on cases of urgent nature.

In a two paragraph response, LMC in the letter signed by the Chairman, Hon. Nduka Irabor acknowledged receipt of the appeal and informed the two clubs that their request has been forwarded to the NFF.

The LMC response read, “We write to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 20th March, 2014 on the above subject matter.

“Please be informed that we have taken note of your request and forwarded your letter to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) with whom power to hear appeals resides for such decisions as NFF may deem appropriate in the circumstance”.

The appeal letter from Giwa FC was signed by the proprietor, Ambassador Chris Giwa while Chairman of Nembe City, Mrs. Ebiakpo Rumson believed to be wife of the club President, Victor Baribote Rumson, signed for Nembe City.

GLO NPL – El-Kanemi gets new date with Abia Warriors

A new date of Wednesday, March 26 has been announced for the postponed Match Day 2 fixture between El-Kanemi Warriors and Abia Warriors.

The League Management Company (LMC) announced that the match will be played at the Kano Pillars Stadium in Kano which will now host home fixtures of the Maiduguri-based side until further notice.

Salihu Abubakar, the Chief Operating Officer of LMC disclosed this and said “in the light of developments in Maiduguri and adjoining cities, we had to suspend all fixtures in the town and have moved their home fixtures for now to Kano”.

The match will kick-off at 4.15pm local time. Meanwhile, in Match Day 2 fixtures, Heartland will host Sharks in Owerri in a Friday Star Match while the following day, Crown FC will play home to Dolphins FC, FC Taraba will receive El-Kanemi Warriors in Jalingo and Rangers International are hosts to Kano Pillars.

In Uyo, Akwa United will clash with Kaduna United and in Katsina Ala, it is Lobi Stars versus Gombe United. Also on Wednesday, March 26, Warri Wolves are home to Enyimba International while Bayelsa United are home to Nasarawa United.

In a related development, host broadcasters of the Glo Premier League, SuperSport has said the repeat broadcast of the match between Kano Pillars and Sunshine Stars will start airing from 00.50 am on SuperSport Select and SuperSport Select Go.

It will also be aired on Tuesday at 2pm and 1am on SuperSport 9 while on Wednesday, it will be broadcast at 8am and 00.45am on SuperSport Select and SuperSport Select Go.

The broadcast schedule will continue on Thursday, March 20 on SuperSport 9 at 4.50pm and 00.50am while on Friday, the final repeat broadcast will be at 11.00am and 00.50am on SuperSport 9.

Glo League Matches to hold as Scheduled

Fixtures of the Glo Premier League will hold as scheduled according to the League Management Company Ltd. A statement from the office of the Chairman of League Management Company Limited on Wednesday, said, “We have received several enquiries concerning a rumour spreading that there is a Court order stopping the League. We wish to clarify that we are not aware of any such Court order and will seek appropriate legal advice from our lawyers concerning this rumour”.

It went on to reassure all the participating Clubs, Referees, Match Commissioners, fans and all other stakeholders that the scheduled fixtures for the Nigeria Professional Football League (Glo Premier League) will continue to hold as scheduled.

LMC Insists it acted right in deregistering of Nembe, Giwa FC

The League Management Company (LMC) has clarified that the decision not to register Nembe City FC and Giwa FC from participation in the Glo Premier League 2013/14 was neither arbitrary nor premeditated but was in exercise of its responsibilities to ensure fair play, transparency and compliance with registration requirements of the league.

“The decisions fall within the powers of the LMC as the First Instance Body appointed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Club Licensing Regulations for Nigeria Football Professional League (NPFL)”, declared Harry Iwuala, LMC’s Special Projects Manager.

He made this clarification in a statement last night and said the decision was consistent with the responsibility of the LMC to protect every interest in the League especially the employees such as the players, coaches and others engaged by Clubs for various services.

According to Iwuala, “The LMC couldn’t have acted arbitrarily when we spent time and resources to organize a workshop last January to sensitize and prepare the Clubs on the imperatives of the registration requirements.

We had a member of the LMC, Shehu Dikko and a legal practitioner familiar with the FIFA and CAF Club Licensing Regulations speak extensively on the requirements. It is apparent that the LMC had given enough notice to the clubs of its intent to apply the criteria for admission to the League fairly and without fear or favour”.

He further remarked that “It is very evident that the league commencement date had been delayed severally to allow for a break from the past, when clubs made a mockery of the registration process and denied the nation’s football of the benefits of a well structured league”.

The LMC, he argued had merely applied existing rules which the clubs were to have operated over the years but have only amplified sections that have hitherto been applied in breach.

In his words, “For instance, In asking for a performance guarantee from the Clubs, the LMC has merely sought to enforce compliance with Article 1.5 (5) of the 2012 Regulations which requires all participating clubs to provide irrevocable letter of commitment from their owners confirming financial status and capabilities to play in the season.

The sanction for non-compliance to this requirement is automatic withdrawal or deregistration of the club from the league”.

He further explained that the registration requirements implemented at this stage was to condition the Clubs towards meeting the more stringent FIFA and CAF Club Licensing regulation that has been adopted by the NFF and which will become operational from November 30, 2014.

“The NFF Club Licensing Regulations states clearly that it is the basic document for club licensing system, through which the different members of the football family aim to promote common principles in the world of football such as sporting value, transparency in their finances, ownership and control of clubs, players and coaches welfare, and the credibility and integrity of club competitions.

It will ensure that clubs attain minimum standard required by FIFA and CAF for National Championship and Cup competitions.

He then advised any aggrieved party to take its case to the NFF bodies responsible for appeals and who are the final arbiters in such matters.

LMC, Civil Defense Collaborate for Match Day Security

Towards ensuring safety at Glo Premier League venues, the League Management Company (LMC) has secured the services of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) to compliment the Nigeria Police as Security Stewards.

Commandant of NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolurin who received a delegation of the LMC led by the Chief Operating Officer, Salihu Abubakar, said the Match Day one games holding this weekend will be used to test run operations of his officers at stadiums.
“We are very happy to support the LMC and our clubs to provide security for Match officials, players and more importantly, fans, declared Abolurin and added, “I have followed the league keenly and believe that the civil defense will be part of the innovations the LMC is bringing to the game”.

Abolurin said operatives of the NSCDC will be deployed at all match venues to work with existing security operatives in ensuring the safety of lives and property. “Football is a game that unites us as a nation and it must be played at safe secure places to attract people, so we will help in providing this enabling environment to make Nigerians comfortable watching their favourite clubs”, the NSCDC Commandant assured.

Abubakar thanked the Civil Defense boss and commended him for the interest in the League. “On behalf of the Chairman of the LMC and the members, let me convey our profound gratitude to Nigeria Civil Defense Corp for this partnership which will help us achieve one of the cardinal objectives of the LMC, that is making league venues safe on match days”, Abubakar stated.
He said that security is critical to the drive to populate the match venues and build fan base for clubs and assured the NSCDC of the LMC cooperation to make their work successful.

Glo League 2013/14: LMC Approves 18 Clubs, Drops Nembe City, Giwa FC

The League Management Company (LMC) has certified 18 Clubs as fit to participate in the 2013/14 Glo Premier League while all the fixtures involving Giwa FC and Nembe City FC have been dropped from the schedule as both teams failed to substantially comply with the minimum registration requirements.

The decision was announced Thursday by the LMC through the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Salihu Abubakar who disclosed that the other eighteen Clubs substantially met the requirements and received provisional approvals to compete in the league.

“Since the deadline for submission of registration form closed 48 hours ago, we have been scrutinizing the registration materials returned by the Clubs and can now state that Nembe City and Giwa FC are in substantial default of the minimum requirements to participate in the Glo Premier League this season. They have consequently been withdrawn from the fixture and all matches involving both Clubs are cancelled”, Abubakar said in Abuja.

The LMC insists that the registration requirements are based on licensing principles that promotes the development of the league for the benefit of the Clubs. “This is the first step towards bringing our Clubs to meet the conditions prescribed in the Nigeria Football Federation Club Licensing Regulation which recently came into force.

Source: LMC

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