NPFL Rebukes 3SC Sporting Director For Misleading Claims

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has reprimanded Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) Sporting Director Tobi Adepoju Samuel for making false claims on social media regarding the NPFL Chairman, Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye. Tobi accused the Elegbeleye of approving stadiums with poor playing conditions that led to injuries among players.

In a formal reprimand, NPFL’s Chief Operating Officer Davidson Owumi condemned the misinformation, highlighting its potential to mislead the public about the league’s integrity.

In a post on the microblogging platform X, Tobi claimed that Elegbeleye as the NPFL Chairman approved stadiums with poor playing pitches for matches of the top league. He further claimed that the club players have been injured as a result of playing on poor pitches.

In a letter of reprimand, Davidson Owumi, the Chief Operating Officer of the NPFL, chided Tobi for peddling wrong information capable of conveying the wrong perception of the person of the Chairman and the league itself.

Owumi wrote, “Our attention has been drawn to a false claim you made on the microblogging platform known as X in which you maliciously accused the Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye of approving the use of a stadium which caused injury to players of your club.

“The allegation which has been published by NaijaFooty, an online blog is patently false because Elegbeleye and the NPFL are not responsible for stadium approvals which fall under Infrastructure requirements of the Nigeria Football Federation Club Licensing Regulations”.

He accused the club officer of bringing the office of the NPFL Chairman to disrepute and also casting aspersions on the NPFL as a body contrary to Rule A5.5.2 of the NPFL Framework and Rules.

The rule provides that “No Club, either by itself, its servants or agents shall by any means whatsoever unfairly criticize, disparage, belittle or discredit the NPFL or any of its directors, officers, employees or agents.”

Owumi noted that clubs and the NPFL share communication channels through which complaints can always be lodged.

He cited a recent case of Abia Warriors that filed a complaint against a referee that officiated their Matchday 14 fixture in Umuahia with a video evidence forwarded.

“They could have gone to the media to criticise the referee and the league, but they did the right thing by sending a petition with evidence, and which has been referred to the Referees Appointment Committee for a review of the referee’s performance”, the league operations Chief revealed.

The letter of reprimand directed Tobi to publish the correct situation of club licensing, apologise to the Chairman and show cause why the NPFL will not impose disciplinary measures on him.