By Olawale Ayeni, Abuja
Nigeria National League’s club owners have denied any knowledge of the postponement of the Nigerian second tier league by the organisers.
The NNL in a statement released yesterday said the 2020/2021 league season scheduled to kick start on Saturday, January 30, 2021, will no longer commence on the said date.
The statement added that the league body would instead hold an emergency congress on Saturday, January 30, 2021 at the Salt Lake Hotel in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State to decide on the new commencement date.
While reacting to the statement, the chairman of NNL club owners, Abdul Sule, told LEADERSHIP Sports that they are yet to get official communication in respect to the league postponement.
“We have not gotten any letter from the NNL secretariat at the moment about the club failing to meet up with the requirements and the postponement of the league. So, I can’t say anything about it for now,” he said.
NNL revealed that only one club out of 46 has met the registration conditions for the 2020-2021 season adding that none compliance by any club, will attract automatic withdrawal from the league.
“The decision for the congress has become critical following the inability of the forty-six (46) clubs to meet requirements for registration” the statement reads.
“Only one club from the lot has met the registration conditions for the 2020-2021 season, as at the time of putting this release together.”
“And subject to Congress debate and ratification the management of NNL has adjusted the kick-off to Wednesday 3rd February 2021.”
NNL has, therefore, urged the clubs yet to comply with registration formalities without further delay on or before Monday 1st February 2021.
“The non compliance by any club it warned, means automatic withdrawal from the league, as enshrined in the NNL rule book.”
Recall that the NNL league went on Christmas/New Year Break in December 2019 and had not resumed since the break due to some logistics and germane issues between the league board, referees, Nigeria Football Federation and other stakeholders.
