John Obuh, Executive Chairman of Abia Warriors, has insisted that his club is not complicit in alleged rule-breaking around the fielding of ineligible players during last weekend’s league games, Completesports.com reports.
Obuh exclusively told Completesports.com that Abia Warriors “is not in breach of any players transfer rule,” countering the accusations raised by the Players’ Status and Arbitration Committee (PSAC).
Abia Warriors and Kwara United were reported to have fielded ineligible players in their NPFL Matchday 10 games last Sunday. Abia Warriors fell 2-0 at home to Heartland in an Oriental Derby, while Kwara United lost 2-1 to Akwa United in Uyo.
The two clubs were among those alleged to be indebted to former players and were required to settle these debts before Matchday 10 to avoid penalties, such as fines and points deductions. Clubs were also informed that they should not field newly recruited players unless debts were cleared before their fixtures.
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Following reports that Abia Warriors and Kwara United fielded 11 new players each, PSAC sent a memo to the clubs, asking them to justify why they should not be sanctioned with points deductions and fines.
However, Obuh, a former Nigeria junior international and FIFA U-17 World Cup silver medal winner as a coach in 2009, maintained that Abia Warriors had acted lawfully.
“Anyway, we’ve responded to them, asking them to get in touch with the NPFL or NFF on the matter,” Obuh told Completesports.com on Wednesday.
“Don’t forget, this alleged indebtedness happened well over ten (10) years ago and we asked for time to verify it and see how we can resolve with the affected players.”
Obuh, a former coach of Kwara United and the U-20 Flying Eagles, detailed the circumstances around PSAC’s meeting, which Abia Warriors could not attend because they were engaged in a President Federation Cup match in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
“At the time PSAC sat, they invited us for us to defend ourselves. But unfortunately, at that time, we we’re already in Lafia, Nasarawa State, for our President Federation Cup match,” Obuh said.
“We responded to them, telling them our situation at that time and that we would welcome a new date since we’re already out of our base for a competition as seriously important as the President Federation Cup.”
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Obuh explained that Abia Warriors requested a new hearing date, but instead received a memo threatening points deductions and other penalties.
He said: “We equally requested for a new date for us to come for our defence. But instead, what we received was a memo of threat of sanction, points deduction and all that.”
He added that Abia Warriors contacted the NFF, who advised them to formally write to the NPFL and Club Owners.
“The NPFL is possession of our letter, so also the NPFL and the NPFL Club Owners Chairman. So we’ve asked the PSAC to get in touch with these authorities first before writing to us to show cause why we shouldn’t be sanctioned,” Obuh stated.
Obuh also pointed out that the alleged indebtedness dates back to before the current board’s tenure. “This indebtedness happened years before our board came. And courtesy demands that we took time, go through our records, sit with the affected players with a view to resolving the issue.”
Obuh emphasised his preference for a formal session with PSAC: “Better still, we can face the PSAC to present our position to them which is normal since we’re time choked with domestic Cup match during the time they sat and needed our presence. Call it ‘Force Majeur’ if you like,” he said.
He concluded by arguing that only the NPFL, with the NFF’s approval, holds the authority to impose sanctions. “Power to sanction resides with NPFL on the approval of NFF and not a Committee,” he asserted.
By Sab Osuji
