Rivers United of Port Harcourt are not yet assured of their place in the CAF Champions League, following a joint-petition lodged by Jigawa Golden Stars of Jalingo and Kwara United of Ilorin against their runners-up spot in Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
Megasportsarena.com reports that Rivers United got the ticket on account of a decision by the disciplinary committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which awarded them three points from an earlier disputed match, but Jigawa and Kwara United believe the verdict was erroneous.
That conviction has now led both contending clubs into submitting a joint-petition at League Management Company (LMC), with a view towards getting the decision upturned before NFF confirm The Garden City club with Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) as Nigeria’s second representative in the competition.
The joint-petition came after the NFF gave the Port Harcourt-based side victory over a disputed match against Jigawa Golden Stars, which was found culpable of fielding an illegible player, thereby taking Rivers United up to second position behind already crowned champions Akwa United of Uyo and ahead of third placed Enyimba of Aba.
“Based on the foregoing, Jigawa Golden Stars FC shall forfeit 3 points and 3 goals to Rivers United FC in respect of the match, for fielding an ineligible player in breach of C5 of the NPFL Rules,” the NFF disciplinary committee stated.
The verdict means that Rivers United, who garnered the same 66 points from 38 games with Enyimba, edged ahead of the defending champions into second place on the final log of the NPFL, courtesy of superior goals difference, but that verdict is now in dispute.
However, the NFF are already in a race against time to submit the official list of Nigeria’s four continental club competition representatives to CAF, such that the issue of the protest by Jigawa and Afonja Warriors became an issue during the executive committee meeting on Sunday at Edo Heritage Hotel in Benin City,
A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting stated in part: “Given the importance of forwarding to the Confederation of African Football the names of Nigeria’s four representatives in the next CAF Club Competitions.
“The Committee ordered that the NFF Appeals Committee must meet immediately to dispense with the appeal lodged by Jigawa Golden Stars FC and Kwara United FC against the decision of the NFF Disciplinary Committee at its sitting of Thursday, 5th August which favoured Rivers United FC. “
