Iorfa clears the air on ban on Aper Aku stadium

For the umpteenth time, the Vice-chairman of Lobi Stars, Dominic Iorfa, has absolved the management of the club of complicity in the ban imposed on the Aper Aku stadium.

Before the start of the ongoing NPFL season, Lobi Stars home ground along with those of Niger Tornadoes, Enugu Rangers, Kwara United and Nasarawa United were banned by the NPFL’s Interim Management Committee (IMC) for failing to meet the required standard.

Consequently, the five affected clubs are playing their home matches at adopted home grounds pending when their match venues would be upgraded.

Lobi Stars are now playing at the New Jos Township stadium.

Iorfa, in a recent press conference said insinuations that Lobi Stars were playing away from home to avoid the prying eyes of Makurdi fans was indeed ridiculous.

He reiterated that the management was not responsible for the hammer that fell on Aper Aku stadium as he said it was the decision of the IMC to ban the stadium due to its dilapidated nature.

“The reason for the ban on the stadium was obviously due to the dilapidated state of the pitch. Even though I started rehabilitation work at the VIP session, the IMC said it wasn’t enough and that led to the ban,” said Iorfa.

The former international further said out of the 19 Northern States, only a few stadiums namely Ahmadu Bello Stadium Kaduna, Pantami Stadium, Gombe, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi, El Kanemi Stadium, Borno, and the new Jos Stadium in Plateau State were given approval to host matches.

Iorfa, therefore, said the management of Lobi Stars was left with no option than to adopt the New Jos Township stadium which is closer to Benue State.

The former member of the NFF Executive Committee also thanked Governor Ortom and his Deputy, Engineer Benson Abounu for their unflinching support to Lobi Stars.