The League Management Company (LMC) is the sole regulatory authority for football in Nigeria enshrined to organize, regulate and promote the NPFL league to meet global technical and commercial standards.
As such the LMC must always judiciously discharge its duties without favour, sentiments or bias towards any participating teams or erring team as such. Suffice to say LMC must be for all and not for one whilst discharging its duties.
Sequel to the foregoing bring to notice of the LMC the impeding decision of the match between Kano Pillars and Katsina United which was embroil by chaos and anarchy orchestrated by Kano Pillars fans at the two instances.
The match day 23 between Kano Pillars and Katsina United was initially played at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano state before it was distrupted by irate Pillars fans in the 80th minute after result stood goalless. The LMC had to be rescheduled the fixture, docked Kano Pillars 3points, handed them a suspended 3points sanction and banished the team to Abuja.
A new twist emerged in Abuja during the reschedule fixture as Kano Pillars produced a list of starting 11 which contained seven players that were not part of the game in Kano that before it was thrown into disarray by the home team fans. It was gathered that Katsina United disagreed vehemently and raised a point of observation during the pre-match briefings but were surprised by the match Commissioner response who insisted the change of players by Kano Pillars was sanctioned by League Management Company chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko which forced Katsina United to demand for copy of waiver from the league body.
Katsina United were compelled to play the match despite protest in reference to the League Management Company (LMC) rule book which stated the match in Abuja was supposed to have the same team list as that of the game in Kano.
Consequently, one of the ineligible player fielded by Kano Pillars Auwali Ali Malam would later score the winning goal for Kano Pillars. This is a clear aberration on the part of Kano Pillars and LMC must not been seen as an accomplice in this clear disregard for the rule book as Katsina United should be awarded 3goals and 3points.
Close to a month after the match in Abuja, the LMC are yet to issue any official statement concerning the protest filed to them by Katsina United nor rescinding the 3points dubiously accrued by Kano Pillars to Katsina United after Kano Pillars had breached the rules book consecutively.
Further investigation reveals that the Katsina United team bus which was deliberately destroyed by Kano Pillars fans was ordered to be fix at the expense of Kano Pillars by the LMC has also reportedly not fixed. Finding shows the team bus was not just destroyed but Kano Pillars fans looted items like handsets, training equipments which consists of kits and match balls and other valuables belonging to the players and the team officials.
The destruction of Katsina United team bus left the entire Katsina United team in disarray. The situation inadvertently forced Katsina United Management to practically beg for a bail out fund from other Ministries in Katsina State to cover for the exigency foisted on the team by Kano Pillars.
Never in the history of Katsina United had it been reported that the Changi Boys would be caught in such precarious situation before as their match day expenses has always been sorted ahead of match day until Kano Pillars brought their version of hooliganism into the beautiful game of footbal.
The failure of the LMC to have taken a cogent and decisive decision perhaps has embolden Kano Pillars antics who on Thursday were involved in yet another unsportsmanlike and condescending act that has brought the league into disrepute after their Chairman, Yahaya Surajo, assaulted an Assistant Referee during a league match against Dakada FC, the video of the shameful action which has since viral.
To curb this uncultured, arrogant and unsportsmanlike behavior of Kano Pillars team LMC it’s high time the LMC spring to action and take a decisive decision on Kano Pillars starting with the injustice and irregularity that marred the Kano Pillars versus Katsina United fixture.
The 3 points and 3 goals should be awarded to Katsina United as legality can never stand on illegality which was flagrantly exhibited by Kano Pillars team.
As we clock down to the end of the season, the LMC must show fairness and not bias to all teams in the NPFL. Kano Pillars, just like every other teams in the league, must not attain an unassailable position in term of misconduct which would stimulate them to perpetrate more damage to the league.
Reaching out to a source in Katsina United who pleaded anonymous, it was gathered that “Katsina United still believe in the integrity of the LMC and are of strong hope that the LMC would not become an accomplice to Kano Pillars in their shenanigans as they are also hoping on the league management body to award the maximum 3points and 3 points available in the match day 23 of the 2021/2022 NPFL season against Kano Pillars to them”.
If truly LMC desire sustainable growth and development for the league it is high time a serial erring club such as Kano Pillars should be made to five the consequences of their misconducts.
