FC Ifeanyi Ubah has suspended its Team Manager, Mr. Jonathan Igwe for four matches for the role he played in the abandonment of the NPFL curtain raiser between Kano Pillars and FC Ifeanyi Ubah at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano yesterday.
In a press release made available on the club’s website and signed by the Chairman of FC, Ifeanyi Ubah, Mr. Chukwuma Ubah, the club condemned in plain terms the conduct of its team manager while apologising to the President of the NFF, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, the Chairman of the LMC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, the Governor of Kano State, H.E. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, other relevant stakeholders, fans and football lovers for its role in the disappointing start of the NPFL while promising to uphold the statutes and tenets of the beautiful game.
Read the press statement below:
“Our attention has been drawn to the sad events that led to the abandonment of the opening game of the 2016/2017 NPFL season between Kano Pillars and FC Ifeanyi Ubah on the 14th of January, 2017 at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano. After extensive investigations into the occurrences that culminated in the disappointing start of the Nigeria Professional Football League, the Management of FC Ifeanyi Ubah has arrived at the following findings:
1. That the Team Manager, Mr. Jonathan Igwe in a rather autocratic and unprofessional manner took laws into his hands by dishing out orders to the team without due recourse to the statutes and ethics of the game.
2. That his actions were borne out of an uncontrollable emotion owing to his perceived antagonistic behaviour of the centre referee who he claimed allowed a goal that was flagged offside by the linesman to stand against us and disallowing a legitimate goal scored by FC Ifeanyi Ubah via a direct free kick deep into stoppage time of the first half.
3. That he is deeply remorseful for his actions and the role he played in the eventual abandonment of the match between Kano Pillars and our darling club, FC Ifeanyi Ubah at the Sani Abacha Stadium which also resulted in him being given a red card by the centre referee.
In view of the aforementioned, the club has reached the following decisions:
1. That the Team Manager Mr. Jonathan Igwe is suspended for four (4) football matches with immediate effect and will forfeit one (1) month salary/allowances for his unprofessionalism and role in the eventual abandonment of the match.
2. That the Team Manager is not to be seen in the venue of any FC Ifeanyi Ubah match during the period of his suspension.
3. That the Team Manager is mandated to issue a letter of apology and promise of good conduct to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the organisers of the NPFL, the League Management Company (LMC) within 72 hours.
4. That the Team Manager is also to issue a written unreserved apology letter to the club and its teeming fans.
The Management of FC Ifeanyi Ubah hereby tenders an unreserved apology to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the League Management Company (LMC) for the outcome of the match between Kano Pillars and FC Ifeanyi Ubah which was supposed to be a befitting curtain raiser for the 2016/2017 NPFL season.
Our most sincere and heartfelt apology goes out to the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Pinnick and the Chairman of the League Management Company, Mallam Shehu Dikko who has done so much in promoting the NPFL while raising the standards of the league and football in Nigeria.
We also wish to apologise to all important dignitaries, especially the Governor of Kano State, H.E. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Management of Kano Pillars, the good people of Kano State, Chairmen of various State FAs, sponsors of the NPFL and members of the press who were present to witness the match.
Finally, may we use this medium to apologise to our teeming fans and football lovers all over Nigeria and around the world for the disappointing display that has brought the name of the beautiful game to disrepute. This is highly regrettable and we wish to state categorically that we would do everything within our powers to make sure that such occurrence does not repeat itself.
The club condemns explicitly the unprofessional conduct of Mr. Jonathan Igwe and believe that the sanctions imposed on the Team Manager will serve as a severe deterrent to the entire management and playing staff of the club. FC Ifeanyi Ubah vows to uphold the statutes and tenets of the beautiful game we love so much.
Thank you and God bless.”
– Authority
