Edo Dep Gov Threatens to Withdraw Insurance from NPFL

Edo Dep Gov Threatens to Withdraw Insurance from NPFL
  • MFM FC wins South-west Derby to extend lead

Duro Ikhazuagbe

MFM FC extended its advantage at the top of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) to four points Wednesday with a 2-0 defeat of Sunshine Stars in a Match-day 10 South-west derby played at the Agege Stadium.

However, the highlight of the Match-day 10 fixtures was the threat by Edo State Deputy Governor, Phillip Shaibu to pull out Bendel Insurance from the NPFL if the League Management Company (LMC) fails to correct the injustice meted to the Edo Arsenal in three league matches.

Insurance was held 1-1 by visiting Rivers United but the Deputy Governor who is a registered player for the Edo team insisted a clean goal scored by his team was disallowed.

“When Kwara United came here we scored a clean goal but the referee disallowed it on the ground it was an offside goal. Just last weekend, the same scenario occurred against us in Akure when we played Sunshine Stars but the goal was allowed to stand. Today, again, we have scored another beautiful goal and it has been ruled offside.

“I think we are going to discontinue with the league than continue to allow this type of officiating to mar our games. We got a clean goal against Kwara. When the video was reviewed it was adjudged a clean goal but we were not awarded the points.

“If they defeat us we don’t care but cannot continue like this. If the LMC refuse to probe the Kwara United match, the Sunshine Stars match and this one against Rivers United, we are going to discontinue playing in the league,” Shaibu warned after the match yesterday.

Mike Ugwu scored the curtain raiser for Insurance in the 13th minute while Ossy Martins grabbed the equaliser for the visitors from Port Harcourt four minutes after the break.

Now, Insurance with eight points from eight matches are 8th on the 12-team Group A log, with a return to the lower league starring the Edo Arsenal in the face. Only three matches are left before the half-way mark of the abridged 2018/2019 NPFL season.

At the Agege Stadium, Adeniji Kabir and Michael Ohanu scored the two goals for the Olukoya Boys in the thrilling encounter to extend their hold at the top to 18 points from eight matches.

The defeat however sent the Akure Gunners on 12 points tumbling from the second spot to third following Enyimba’s 2-0 defeat of Katsina United in Aba to step up. The People’s Elephant is on 14 points from nine games.

The trip to Aba turned nightmare for the visitors from Katsina United as the duo of Chinedu Ajanah and Dominic Abba were sent off for bookable offences.

Kwara United who similarly handed out 2-0 defeat to Niger Tornadoes are on same points as Sunshine but fourth due to inferior goal difference. Nosiru Afeez and Lukman Binuyo provided the goals for the Harmony Boys.

Elsewhere in Group A, defending champions Lobi Stars moved one step up from the bottom of the table to 11th spot following the 2-1 defeat of Remo Stars. They are replaced at the bottom of the log by Tornadoes.

In Group B, FC IfeanyiUbah remains on top 18 points despite the defeat in Uyo, while El-Kanemi Warriors on same points as the Nnewi team is second due to inferior goal difference.

Akwa United’s victory over the log leaders place them in third on 15 points from nine matches while Go Round move up two places to 4th on same points as the Promise Keepers.

Heartland drops from third to seventh on the log while Kada City is 10th on 10 points from eight games.

MATCH-DAY 10

Group A

Rangers 2-1 Wikki

Insurance 1-1 Rivers Utd

Lobi 2-1 Remo Stars

Kwara Ut 2-0 Tornadoes

Enyimba 2-0 Katsina Utd

MFM 2-0 Sunshine Stars

Group B

Nasarawa 1-0 Yobe Stars

Gombe Utd 0-1 Go Round

Plateau Utd 0-1 Kada City

Kano Pillars 2-0 Abia Warriors

Akwa Utd 1-0 FC Ifeanyi Ubah

El-Kanemi 2-0 Heartland

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