Nigeria Professional Football League Club Owners Association top brass, Barrister Isaac Danladi has rubbished claims by any club boss that the Point-Per-Game Rule was adopted to rob Lobi Stars and pay Enyimba FC with a continental ticket.
Recall on June 21, 17 out of the 20 NPFL clubs in a virtual meeting voted to cancel the 2019/2020 league season and there should be no relegation and no promotion to the NPFL, hence the League Management Company (LMC) had to adopt the Point Per Game mechanism to decide the teams that would fly Nigeria’s flag on the continent.
Third placed Lobi Stars who joined Akwa United by abstaining from voting cried wolf after the PPG denied them the chance to represent Nigeria in the CAF Confederations Cup as they alleged the decision was taken to favour Enyimba FC.
PPG, Points Per Game entailed dividing the total number of points obtained by a club by the number of matches played. The People’s Elephants had five outstanding matches to play before the league was suspended on March 18 due to the COVID19 pandemic, and with 25 matches played.
Crux of the matter was, before the season was suspended due to the novel virus, Plateau United, Rivers United and Lobi Stars were the top three teams on the log but the use of PPG had seen Enyimba FC leapfrog both Rivers United and Lobi Stars to 2nd on the log, meaning they get the continental ticket.
Danladi who’s making his second return as the Nasarawa United boss rubbished the allegations while speaking with Sports group (Family United by Football) on social media platform, Whatsapp.
“Two seasons ago, Lobi Stars was allowed to be Nigeria’s sole representative in the CAF Champions League and there was no foul cry then.
“Akwa Utd and Kano Pillars were 2nd and 3rd on the NPFL log with just a point and two points respectively behind Lobi Stars, but the Makurdi side got the ticket with no noise as the other clubs accepted it with good faith. It was Paul Bassey that first supported the decision, it’s now an issue because table have turned around.
“Let us ask ourselves the pertinent questions, is the PPG in the frameworks of the NPFL, is it acceptable in law, the situation we found ourselves would have been different if equal number of matches were played by the 20 clubs, but it wasn’t so and it’s nobody’s fault.
“As Chairman of the Club Owners Association, I have never used my position to the benefit of Nasarawa United. If I had wanted, the Solid Minners would have won a back-to-back league title within the eight seasons I spent running the club.
“We must put aside sentiments and selfishness from whatever we’re doing, as far as the PPG rule is acceptable by FIFA and CAF and has been used judiciously so be it. If Nasarawa United was ruled out like Lobi Stars, we would take it in good faith.
“It’s not a must a club must play in the continent even though it’s a wish, mind you it’s on record that under me as chairman of Nasarawa United, the club featured in the CAF inter club tournament, Confederations Cup.
“The PPG has been accepted, majority carried the vote. Minority may have their say while the majority had their way. It’s politics and it’s all about democracy, which comes with choices.”
