Matters arising!

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), trying to justify it’s unjust allocation of venues for the quarter-finals of the ongoing 2025 President Federation Cup competition with a release credited to a member of its Executive Committee, Mr. George Aluo, calls for a re-examination of the whole process.

Criticisms over some venues for the quarter-final matches were raised by close observers of the premier club football competition in the nation and some stakeholders, backing their claims with calculations and other indices.

But in a release by the NFF, made available through it’s Communication Department said that “the recent draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup competition was conducted in line with the best practice in the round-leather game across the universe”, quoting Mr Aluo.

Going by the fixtures released by the football-ruling body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin City, as Wikki Tourists clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja and Akwa United and Kwara United fight it out in Enugu. The Area 3 Stadium, Abuja will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United.

All matches are scheduled for 3rd May, when the semi-finalists are expected to emerge.

Mr Aluo, trying to justify the unjust allocation of venues which obviously were not fairly done seems to further rubbish the whole process.

According to Mr Aluo, who is the Chairman of Nigeria National League (NNL), “Some of our media men need better education and newsmen should conduct themselves like fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-off match that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home. Here in Nigeria, we have seen Abiola Babes host Ranchers Bees in Lagos with nobody talking about proximity of Abeokuta to Lagos. The Final match involving Enugu Rangers and Stationery Stores many years ago was played in Lagos and more recently, Enugu Rangers hosted Kano Pillars in Asaba despite the proximity of Asaba to Enugu, home of Rangers.

Mr. Aluo even goofed the more, when he compared Nigeria’s competition to that of the English FA. To even add that “Some of our media men need better education and newsmen should conduct themselves like fans out there on the streets” means that he has an axe to grind with some selected media men whose jobs entails getting records straight on major issue, as watchdogs of the society.

If Mr Aluo, who also has a journalism background were to be on the other side of the divide, I bet he will be among those also raising criticism.

We need not be reminded that “we should be promoting things that will take our football to the next level”. Of course, we have been doing just that. But we need to correct ourselves where necessary.

Akwa United needs just two hours drive from their base to Enugu, while Kwara United will undertake a journey of 13 to 14 hours to the same venue. Wikki Tourists, a northern team will play Ikorodu City at the Bwari Stadium, Abuja, a venue that blatantly did not only favors Wikki Tourists based on distance, but just a training pitch that doesn’t qualify to host a match of that magnitude. Haba, Mr Aluo.

Ikorodu City will take a 14 hours journey, while Wikki Tourists will simply make six hours to Bwari.

Mr Aluo’s explaination on why those venues were selected ahead of other venues wasn’t convincing enough. Neither has he explained the criteria used in picking the venues.

What criteria was used to choose Garki Area 3 training pitch which has no pavilion, and which has an expired tuff ahead of all the stadium we have in the country?

Yes, the Executive board of the NFF being led by Ibrahim Gusau are “sincerely” doing their best. But truth must be told. Those venues were not properly chosen. PERIOD.

Mr Aluo, beyond logistics, it’s also about integrity. It’s about fairness. We need a level playing ground, and there are better venues than a certain Bwari Stadium where the NFF thinks can add value to the competition.

Mr Aluo’s story that “the corporate world is watching. GTI, partners of the NPFL are also supporting the NFF with the President Federation Cup” is a complete deceit.

The Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau NFF should please, do the needful. I’m sure the President and his board will look into it.