- Reprieve for Sunshine fans as Tornadoes miss boardroom points
Duro Ikhazuagbe
The League Management Company (LMC) wednesday lifted the four-month old ban slammed on the Sani Abacha Stadium, the home ground of Kano Pillars.
The Sai Masugida who have missed the massive support of their fanatical fans during their period of hibernation, are to have full house on Sunday when they host champions Rangers International of Enugu on Match-day 29 clash of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
Similarly, Sunshine Stars of Akure who were banished to the Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu Ode due to crowd violence and have been playing behind closed gates are to have their fans back to the stands.
In communications with the two NPFL clubs wednesday, LMC said that the decisions to lift the stadium ban was sequel to a review of the conditions set out in the original order that suspended the admission of spectators to their home matches.
The league body however insisted that it would during the next two home matches of the two clubs, assess the level of compliance with the revised safety and security measures put in place by them.
LMC However restated that Sunshine Stars banishment away from Akure Township Stadium to Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium subsists.
“The Akure Township Stadium would only be admitted to host Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matches after confirming that the club has fully complied with the required measures,†observed the LMC in a statement wednesday.
Some of the conditions Kano Pillars was also issued to comply with include; Provision of revised match day security plan; evidence of prosecution of complicit individuals; and evidence of fans and supporters education workshops.
For both clubs, LMC warned that full and final decisions would be announced after the two matches they would host.
Meanwhile, the LMC has also ruled that the result of the Match-day 28 fixture between Enyimba and Niger Tornadoes in Calabar stands as the petitioner; Niger Tornadoes could not provide evidence to support the application of Rule C5.
Tornadoes had filed a petition seeking to have three points and three goals awarded the club on the grounds that Enyimba fielded a player, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu that was suspended for the match following the accumulation of five yellow cards.
In their defence, Enyimba submitted that they did not intentionally field the player as the notice of suspension did not reach them. They also made references to similar incidences last season in which they alerted Nasarawa United in Makurdi that they were about to field a suspended Thomas Zenke and the player was dropped.
Similarly in Port Harcourt last season, Kano Pillars brought to the attention of Enyimba that they were about to field a suspended Nzube Anaezemba leading to Enyimba dropping him.
They therefore contended that Tornadoes did not play fair by withholding information only to turn to protest.
