NPFL clubs set for showdown with IMC over abridged league

The decision of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) for the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), to adopt the abridged league format for the 2022/2023 season has not gone down well with most of the clubs.

Consequently, the aggrieved clubs who prefer a full league have threatened to boycott the proposed December 28 date for the draws as announced by the IMC.

It will be recalled that after a recent meeting with the clubs in Abuja, the IMC announced that the draws for 2022/2023 NPFL season will be held on December 28 while the league itself will kick-off on January 8, 2023.

The IMC also agreed to give the 20 clubs the sum of N10m each as takeoff grants ahead of the 2022/2023 season.

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However, the Club Owners Association, the umbrella body of the 20 NPFL clubs has rejected the abridged league as announced by the IMC.

In a statement, the Club Owners Association said “Member clubs had in a joint meeting with the IMC unanimously voted for a full league with 17 to 3 votes, and against a proposal for an abridged league, only for some group of persons to go behind to push for an abridged league which is a caricature of the NPFL, a league once adjudged as the number one league in Africa.

“Club Owners, therefore, wish to state unequivocally that the decision of the clubs on a full league format remains unchanged and hereby reject the proposed abridged league in its entirety, assuring that a full league format can still be completed within the normal time frame, with submissions of the CAF Competitions representatives and alignment of the NPFL with the international football calendar.”

A club chairman from the north-central who spoke to Daily Trust on condition anonymity said “The NFF mandated the IMC to come and discuss with us and we have told them what we want. I wonder why it is difficult for them to take our message back to the NFF.

 “We are not going to be part of the draws. They must listen to us. After all, we are ready to make any sacrifice to have a full league season,” he said.