The disciplinary committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has overturned the verdict of the Interim Management Committee (IMC), which had deducted points from Remo Stars and Wikki Tourists. This is coming as the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is in its decisive last three matches of the regular season.
Matchday 16 will be played across the country this weekend with two more rounds thereafter to end the first phase of the abridged season and determine the top three teams in each of the two groups to feature in the Super 6 from among whom the league winners and runners-up will emerge. It is also at this period that four teams – two from each group – will be excused from the top flight to allow for teams promoted from the lower division from next season.
With the decision by the NFF disciplinary committee, led by Barrister Jude Obikwelu, Remo Stars rose from No 6 to No 5, level on points with fourth placed Plateau United, and a point behind Enyimba, who are in the top 3. Until the NFF decision, the Ikenne-Remo side were three points off the Super 6 corner.
In Remo Stars’ Group A, 2021/22 champions Shooting Stars lost a spot, dropping from fifth to sixth.
Nothing however changed in Group B where the ruling of the NFF disciplinary committee also favoured Wikki Tourists. The Bauchi-based team remained at the foot of the table despite having the three goals restored. Wikki had lost their disputed Matchday 13 at home to Bayelsa United 1-2 and did not gain any point, as a result.
On 5th April, Remo Stars were sanctioned with three points and three goals deduction over the alleged assault of the referee, Ndubuisi Ukah in the dressing room — which led to the disruption of the Matchday 12 game against visiting Gombe United.
IMC named Remo Stars’ General Manager, Adams Ekene as the alleged assaulter and thereafter banned him from all NPFL activities for the rest of the season, while the club was fined N1.2 million.
However, the NFF disciplinary committee reached a decision that “there was no available evidence” for the alleged assault.
The committee added that “the physical appearance and medical condition of Ekene as shown in the Matchday video — and as he appeared before the committee — revealed that he was on oxygen support and so may not have the capacity to raise a hand to hit or violently assault another as claimed by the referee”.
The committee then held that the initial ruling of points deduction is set aside. It also reduced Remo Stars’ fine to N500,000.
The NFF disciplinary committee overruled the points deduction “for the want of evidence and further confirmation via (phone calls) by the match commissioner and the centre referee wherein they stated and confirmed to the Committee that there was no assault on any match official as stated in their match reports”.
The club’s fine was also reduced to N500,000.
