The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has moved to mediate in the growing inter-club feud between Remo Stars and Ikorodu City ahead the resumption of the season on Wednesday, January 14.
The two clubs have been invited to a reconciliation and peace meeting by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi on Tuesday, January 13 at the headquarters of the league body in Abuja.
In a letter dispatched to the clubs, the NPFL expressed deep discomfort on the acrimony the clubs.
“The NPFL is deeply disturbed by the growing acrimony between the two geographically brother clubs and wishes to intervene to engender an atmosphere of peace and sportsmanship”, the letter noted.
It also stated that “while we will continue to uphold the provisions of the NPFL Rules and Framework, we place premium on having cordial relationships among our clubs”.
In the light of the foregoing, the COO requested that the clubs send two top management officers for the peace meeting. The NPFL is of the view that reconciling the differences between the top managers of the club will engender peace among their supporters.
In the invitation letter, it was specified that none of the two officers must be below the rank of Team Manager.
It is turning out a two horse race between Remo Stars and Ikorodu City at the Ikenne zone of the 2025 NPFL Youth League, but Coach Ajobolade Olumide insists that his Remo squad are not playing for points.
After the round two games, Remo Stars and Ikorodu City are tied on points, but the Ikenne side enjoys superior goals advantage following a 4-1 demolition of Shooting Stars in the first game of Matchday 2. Ikorodu City followed on their heels by defeating Sunshine Stars 2-0. Bendel Insurance are now third with three points after their 2-1 defeat of Kwara United.
Olumide told NPFL Media that his side is simply excited to participate in the competition and not focusing on a position on the log.
“We really are not very interested in the position on the log, we are however going to be competing to the best of our abilities. In the way we are structured, this is another competition to assess our development which is what the team is about,” he said self-assuredly.
On their neck-to- neck run with Ikorodu City, Olumide insisted he is not considering the Lagos side as a threat but welcomes the challenge.
“We welcome the challenge to test our setup and we and Ikorodu City do not have opportunity to play each other, hence we welcome this opportunity.”
The teams will observe a rest day today, August 6 and resume tomorrow for Matchday 3.
Remo Stars have been officially crowned winners of the 2024-25 Nigeria Premier Football League season thus becoming the 21st club to claim the top division diadem.
Their 4-1 victory over of Ikorodu City in front of their delirious home fans in Ikenne yesterday meant that the three clubs to represent Nigeria in the CAF Inter club competitions have now been decided with Rivers United and Abia Warriors joining the Sky Blue Stars as the three clubs to hoist the nation’s flag on the continent.
Yesterday’s coronation of the Champions was witnessed by stakeholders including President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) , Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau who first presented the NPFL Trophy to Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun for onwards delivery to the Ikenne-based side with club owner, Honourable Kunle Soname , beaming with broad smiles over his side’s accomplishment.
Remo Stars duly won the NPFL title yesterday in front of their fans and top dignitaries at their Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne..
Daniel Ogunmodede’s side did so in magnificent fashion annihilating Ikorodu City 4-1. Tosin Oyedokun had shot the Oga Boys ahead after 16 minutes but Sikiru Alimi equalised for the Sky Blue Stars in the 38th minute before goals from Ibrahim Shuiabu, Babatunde Bello and Olamilekan Adedayo added gloss to the result.
Remo Stars improved their points haul to 71 but Ikorodu City remained on 56 points and cannot finish above fourth spot in their debut season.
Elsewhere, Sunshine Stars for the first time since 2007, are returning to the lower league following their home loss to Niger Tornadoes in Ijebu Ode while Rangers (52 points), Nasarawa United (52 points), Plateau United (51 points), Bendel Insurance (56 points), Kano Pillars (53 points) and Kwara United (50 points) all secured important home wins to book their spots in the topflight next season.
Abia Warriors fought back from a goal down to beat El Kanemi Warriors and thus sealed their CAF inter club ticket with 60 points. They have a four point gap between them and Ikorodu City whom they face next on May 25th on the League’s final day.
Akwa United beat Bayelsa United 2-0 in Uyo through Endurance Ebedebiri and Kabir Osoba to move to 44 points. They are still 18th with 44 points and must target a win in Owerri against Heartland while praying that they get favourable results in other centres. It will be a tall order for all these variables to happen.
In Ilorin Kwara United thrashed Rivers United 3-1 to boost their survival chances with 50 points but Rivers United are still second in the table with 61 points.
In Ijebu Ode, Sunshine Stars ended their 18 years Association with the topflight after they were relegated following their 2-1 home loss to Niger Tornadoes.
In Enugu, Rangers International FC returned to winning ways in spectacular fashion pummelling Katsina United 4-0 with Godwin Obaje scoring twice to hit 11 goals this season. The deposed champions are eighth with 52 points while Katsina United are 15th with 47 points.
Ahmed Musa celebrated his return to the Super Eagles with two goals for Kano Pillars in the tie they won 3-1 against Shooting Stars to move to the seventh spot with 53 points.
In Benin, Heartland squandered several scoring chances before losing 1-0 to Bendel Insurance. The win lifted Insurance to the fifth spot with 56 points but the Naze Millionaires have been dumped back to the relegation zone in 17th spot with 45 points. They must beat Akwa United in Owerri and pray that results from Maiduguri and Katsina must be favourable.
It was a five goal thriller in Lafia between Nasarawa United and Enyimba with league top scorer, Anas Yusuf was also on the score sheet for his 18th goal of the season. The Solid Miners are ninth with 52 points while the People’s Elephant are sixth with 55 points.
Plateau United also beat Lobi Stars 2-1 to move to the 10th spot with 51 points.
Ikorodu City have shot back to the fourth spot in impeccable fashion after they pummelled visiting Katsina United 6-0 at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos in a rearranged NPFL Matchday 31 tie.
The Oga Boys had won the first leg 2-1 in Katsina and they made it a double in style thrashing the Chanji Boys by six goals to nil to move to 49 points from 32 games and just a point behind third placed Abia Warriors.
Emmanuel Solomon opened the floodgates of goals in the 13th minute before Shola Adelani grabbed the second goal in the 36th minute for his 10th goal in his debut season in the topflight.
Tosin Oyedokun made it three after 55 minutes before super sub weighed in two goals in the 71st and 86th minute. Oladimeji Dada with the other goal.
With Ikorodu City playing another home game against Niger Tornadoes this weekend, Abia Warriors must beat Rivers United in Umuahia to remain in third spot.
Katsina United may be drawn into relegation zone if they fail to get a result in Ikenne against Remo Stars this weekend.
Shooting Stars may be off the CAF Inter club radar by the time weekend games are played with a difficult time today against Bayelsa United in Yenagoa.
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle was present at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on yesterday as Ikorodu City staged a fight-back to beat Plateau United 2-1 in their Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 25 clash.
Ikorodu City sought a return to winning ways after a frustrating 0-0 draw at Nasarawa United in their previous game, while Plateau United aimed to extend their impressive form, having lost only one of their previous seven games.
The visitors stunned the home crowd few minutes before halftime, taking the lead in the 38th minute through Albert Hillary’s goal and giving them the advantage going into the second half.
However, Ikorodu City were determined to avoid their third home loss since September and, spurred on by the home crowd, ‘The Oga Boys’ staged a remarkable comeback, scoring through Abdulmalik Olatunji in the 74th minute and netting again six minutes later through Tosin Oyedokun, securing a 2-1 victory.
Despite Plateau United’s efforts to level the score, Ikorodu City’s defense held firmly, ensuring all three points in front of their jubilant fans.
The win propelled Ikorodu City to fifth place on the table with 38 points from 25 matches, just one point behind Abia Warriors, who climbed into the top four with a win over Enugu Rangers. Plateau United remain just outside the relegation zone with 28 points.
Ikorodu City will aim to maintain their momentum when they travel to face Bendel Insurance, while Plateau United will host Bayelsa United in their next NPFL game.
Observers believe Chelle’s presence at the game demonstrates his commitment to the local league, having also visited Super Eagles players in Europe.
Remo Stars climbed back to the top of the Nigeria Premier Football League after they smashed Nasarawa United 3-0 in Ikenne while Akwa United, Bayelsa United and Ikorodu City all bagged their first season’s wins as the topflight entered Matchday Six yesterday.
In Ikenne, the Sky Blue Stars returned to winning ways before their fans after they obliterated the Solid Miners 3-0 at the Remo Stars Stadium. Sikiru Alimi opened the floodgates of goals in the 51st minute while Stanley Joseph doubled the lead nine minutes later. Ismail Sodiq with the icing on the cake in the 62nd minute.
Remo Stars moved to the top with 15 points from six games while Nasarawa United slid to the 13th spot with six points.
In Uyo, Akwa United waited patiently and got their first win of the campaign after a 2-0 win over Kano Pillars that had Ahmed Musa and Shehu Abdullahi in their fold.
Former Bayelsa United defender, Endurance Ebedebiri put the Promise Keepers ahead in the added time of the first half before Friday Apollos made it second goal in his last two games with the game’s second goal in the 81st minute.
Bayelsa United and Ikorodu City both celebrated their first wins of the season as well.
Yahaya Ibrahim’s early minute strike was enough for the Prosperity Boys who dazed Plateau United 1-0 in Yenagoa while Rivio Ayenwenre, Kelechi Onwe and Toyeeb Ajeyigbe’s goals romped the Oga Boys to their historic first victory in the topflight.
In Maiduguri, Heartland FC forced El Kanemi Warriors to a goalless draw for their first away point of the season.
The Borno Army who are still unbeaten in the topflight along with Rivers United this season have won picked up five away points but they are yet to bag maximum points before their fans.
The Naze Millionaires on their part followed up their first win of the season against Niger Tornadoes with a goalless draw in Maiduguri. It was their first away point after three away games. They will welcome Ikorodu City to Owerri on Thursday in a Matchday Seven tie.
In another league tie, Katsina United failed to beat Rivers United at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium. The draw kept the unbeaten record of Finidi George’s led Pride of Rivers intact after six games though they slipped to the second spot with 14 points.
Abia Warriors also pipped Kwara United 1-0 through Sunday Megwo’s 76th minute strike. The game was completed on Sunday morning after rainfall forced the game to be postponed from Saturday afternoon.
Also in another affair, Niger Tornadoes needed a late goal to settle for a third straight draw at home against Lobi Stars. Tornadoes lost their invincible record in Owerri against Heartland FC but they were unable to make their home advantage count at the Bako Kotangora Stadium, Minna.
The Ikon Allah Boys had been held by Nasarawa United and Bendel Insurance in their earlier two games at home but they were staring at defeat against Lobi Stars when Ossy Martins shot the visitors ahead in the 61st minute. Majin Muhammed’s men managed to rescue a point after Emmanuel Olawale’s 90th minute equaliser.
In the last game of the weekend in Ibadan, Shooting Stars were held to a goalless draw by Enyimba. The People’s Elephant had beaten the Oluyole Warriors by a stoppage time goal last season at the same venue but both teams could not bridge each other and had to settle for shared spoils.
Enyimba are third on the log with 13 points while Shooting Stars with just a win from three home games are 12th with six points.
NPFL will return midweek with Matchday Seven games lined up.
NPFL new boys, Ikorodu City FC have announced the completion of the signing of Olughu Chinemerem, a new goalkeeper ahead of the 2024-25 football season.
Olughu who joined the ‘Oga Boys’ from Coal City FC, signed a two-year deal and his arrival is meant to fortify the squad ahead of their debut season in the topflight.
The goalkeeper spent the 2023/24 season with Enugu based outfit, Coal City in Nigeria’s second division, Nigeria National League (NNL) and was in goal for the majority of the season.
He becomes the club’s second goalkeeper with Aina Oluwadamilare being the only retained goalkeeper from the previous season and both will fight for a chance to stay between the sticks at the club as first choice.
