The Nation Newspaper

Tag: LMC

  • ‘LMC lacks power to exclude Nembe, Giwa from league’

    ‘LMC lacks power to exclude Nembe, Giwa from league’

    THE League Management Company (LMC)’s decision to exclude Nembe City FC and Giwa FC of Jos from participating in the Glo Premier League on the grounds of non-compliance with registration requirements, has been condemned by a stakeholder who said it lacks the powers to do so.

    Speaking with sports writers in Abuja on Tuesday at his arrival for the Club Owners’ Association executive meeting with the affected clubs, Acting Secretary of the Association Alloy Chukwuemeka said the LMC was in a hurry in taking such decision, stressing that the exclusive powers to relegate, promote, dismiss, exclude and suspend any team from any cadre of the leagues in Nigeria resides with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).

    He added that what the LMC should have done was to recommend their findings to the NFF for action, not rushing to the media to announce their exclusion which amounts to usurping the powers of the NFF/AGA.

    He began: “Yes, we are here for the meeting as you rightly observed, but I cannot pre-empt the outcome of the meeting, so you can wait until we come out of the meeting.

    “The essence of the meeting is first, in solidarity with our colleagues whose clubs were excluded from participating in the league. We are here also to find out the true position of the issues on ground so that we can present it to our larger forum and other relevant quarters.”

    “Personally, I think the LMC lacks powers to exclude any team from participating in the league, it is the exclusive power of the federation, they can only recommend. That is all I can say for now, so just wait until after the meeting”, said Chukwuemeka.

  • No going back on Nembe, Giwa — LMC

    The League Management Company (LMC) said on Friday that its decision to disqualify Nembe City of Brass and Giwa FC of Jos from the 2013/2014 Globacom Premier League was final.

    Salihu Abubakar, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the LMC, disclosed the decision to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    The two teams were disqualified for failing to meet the registration requirements for the 2013/2014 season which kicked off on Friday.

    Consequently, the League opener which was supposed to have held yesterday between Nembe City and Rangers International at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu did not hold.

    Abubakar said the Appeals Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was the only body that could have any influence on the decision.

    According to Abubakar, the LMC will now adopt an 18-club format for the Nigeria professional league following the disqualification of both clubs.

    “Nembe City and Giwa FC were not suspended by the LMC as clubs. They have only been ruled out from participating in the 2013/2014 league season because of incomplete registration.

    “They have not been cleared by the LMC to play any match this new season. Automatically, all the matches involving them in the new season will no longer hold.

    “The only thing they can do right now to is to appeal against the decision,’’ Abubakar said.

    He said the LMC would soon determine the mode of compensation for SuperSport, the league’s TV broadcast right holders who were already in Enugu for the live transmission of the match.

    Paul Ozor, the General Manager of Rangers, told NAN on telephone on Friday that a letter stopping the match had been communicated to them by the LMC.

    Ozor expressed regret over the development, saying that the home game, which Rangers looked forward to winning would have put the team on sound footing for the season.

  • LMC, Civil Defense collaborate for match day security

    Towards ensuring safety at Glo Premier League venues, the League Management Company (LMC) has secured the services of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) to compliment the Nigeria Police as Security Stewards.

    The Commandant of the NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolurin, who received a delegation of the LMC led by the Chief Operating Officer, Salihu Abubakar, said the Match Day one games holding this weekend will be used to test run operations of his officers at stadiums.

    “We are very happy to support the LMC and our clubs to provide security for match officials, players and more importantly, fans, declared Abolurin and added, “I have followed the league keenly and believe that the civil defense will be part of the innovations the LMC is bringing to the game.”

    Abolurin said operatives of the NSCDC will be deployed at all match venues to work with existing security operatives in ensuring the safety of life and property.

    “Football is a game that unites us as a nation and it must be played at safe secure places to attract people, so we will help in providing this enabling environment to make Nigerians comfortable watching their favourite clubs”, the NSCDC Commandant assured.

    Abubakar thanked the Civil Defense boss and commended him for the interest in the League. “On behalf of the Chairman of the LMC and the members, let me convey our profound gratitude to the Nigeria Civil Defense Corp for this partnership which will help us achieve one of the cardinal objectives of the LMC, that is making league venues safe on match days,” Abubakar stated.

    He said that security is critical to the drive to populate the match venues and build fan base for clubs and assured the NSCDC of the LMC cooperation to make their work successful.

  • LMC, Civil Defense collaborate for Match Day Security

    Towards ensuring safety at Glo Premier League venues, the League Management Company (LMC) has secured the services of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) to compliment the Nigeria Police as Security Stewards.

    Commandant of NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolurin who received a delegation of the LMC led by the Chief Operating Officer, Salihu Abubakar, said the Match Day one games holding this weekend will be used to test run operations of his officers at stadiums.

    “We are very happy to support the LMC and our clubs to provide security for Match officials, players and more importantly, fans,” declared Abolurin and added, “I have followed the league keenly and believe that the civil defense will be part of the innovations the LMC is bringing to the game”.

    Abolurin said operatives of the NSCDC will be deployed at all match venues to work with existing security operatives in ensuring the safety of lives and property. “Football is a game that unites us as a nation and it must be played at safe secure places to attract people, so we will help in providing this enabling environment to make Nigerians comfortable watching their favourite clubs”, the NSCDC Commandant assured.

    Abubakar thanked the Civil Defense boss and commended him for the interest in the League. “On behalf of the Chairman of the LMC and the members, let me convey our profound gratitude to Nigeria Civil Defense Corp for this partnership which will help us achieve one of the cardinal objectives of the LMC, that is making league venues safe on match days”, Abubakar stated.

    He said that security is critical to the drive to populate the match venues and build fan base for clubs and assured the NSCDC of the LMC’s cooperation to make their work successful.

  • N150,000 minimum wage LMC gives clubs Tuesday deadline

    N150,000 minimum wage LMC gives clubs Tuesday deadline

    Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC), Nduka Irabor, has stated that there is no going back on the N150,000 minimum wage for players in the Glo Premier League this new season.

    Irabor warned that clubs that fail to meet comply with the requirement will be docked six goals and six points as punishment amongst other sanctions.

    “They have up to Tuesday to do registration and they say they’re not paying N150,000 per player, we will ask questions, but nobody is going to get away with it,” Irabor said.

    “It is mandatory, six points, six goals punishment await clubs that fail to meet these conditions. The clubs are supposed to earn some revenue, we might decide to withhold the revenue and impose further levies on clubs that are unable to do it.

    “We have to be financially solvent otherwise you just end up a season owing players from whom there is expectation of protection of their welfare by the League managers.

    “If you’re unable to pay your players, why should I pay you your N15m income when you’re already saying to me that you’re not going to be able to pay your players, so we might just withhold revenue coming to some of the clubs.”

     

  • Glo League season to kick-off March 7th

    Glo League season to kick-off March 7th

    FOLLOWING series of postponements, the 2013/14 Globacom Premier League season will now finally kick-off on March 7th.

    SportingLife gathered on Tuesday afternoon that the new date was agreed upon by the club owners of the elite domestic league after the date was proposed to them by the League Management Company (LMC).

    Acting Secretary to the club owners, Alloy Chukwuemeka told SportingLife that: “The clubs have unaninously agreed on the March 7 date proposed by the LMC, and they also had another meeting with the league regulators on how to ensure a hitch-free season.

    “Details of the decisions taken will of course be made to the press in no time.”

    Meanwhile the Match Day 1 games of Giwa vs Kano Pillars, Enugu Rangers vs Nembe City,Abia Warriors vs Kaduna United, Warri Wolves vs El Kanemi Warriors, south-south derby of Bayelsa United vs Sharks, Lobi Stars vs Crown FC, Akwa United vs Gombe United, Taraba vs Nasarawa United and star matches of Sunshine Stars vs Enyimba and Heartland vs Dolphins will go on as scheduled.

    However, the Match Day 2 to 38 fixtures will, however, be made public by the end of this week.

     

  • Nasarawa Utd players get salary increase

    Nasarawa Utd players get salary increase

    The management of Nasarawa United has inreased the salaries of its players in compliance with the League Management Company’s(LMC) directive, SportingLife can report.

    The club’s media officer, Musa Elayo told SportingLife that the increase began with their January salaries which was paid on Friday.

    He said the players’ salaries were ranging between N300,000 and N220,000.

    He also informed that the trio of technical crew Mohammed Baba Ganaru, assistant coach Kabir Suleiman Dogo and goalkeeper trainer, Alloy Agu have received 50% signing-on fees.

    He added that their signing-on fees have been negotiated, approved before the LMC abolition of signing-on fees.

    “I want to confirm to you that our management has complied with the LMC directive by paying our players enhanced salary packages, starting with January salaries. They received the January salaries on Friday. The least paid players collected N220, 000 while the highest paid players received N300, 000,” Elayo told SportingLife.

    “The technical crew led by Baba Ganaru received 50% of their signing-on fees. The negotiation of their money was done before the new order by the LMC. They received the money last month.

    Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura had already approved the payment to encourage them give their best to the club.

    “The management uses this medium to thank the state government for approving and implementing the enhanced salary package for the players. This will boost the morale of the players.”

    The Solid Miners will also play lots of friendly matches this weekend in preparation for the Glo League.

    The Ganaru-led side will battle Lobi Stars in a return leg encounter at the Emmanuel Akume Stadium, Katsina-Ala on Wednesday. Nasarawa defeated Lobi Stars 1-0 on Sunday at the Lafia Township Stadium.

    They will also lock horns with Giwa FC and Gombe United in other friendly matches on Friday and Saturday respectively.

     

     

     

  • ‘Glo League needs more sponsors’

    ‘Glo League needs more sponsors’

    John Fashanu, a former member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Monday said the Globacom Premier League required more than one sponsor to thrive as a world-class league.

    Fashanu said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. The former Wimbledon FC of London striker called on the League Management Company (LMC) to take the necessary steps to encourage multiple sponsors for the league.

    “We want to make sure we have multi-sponsors, that’s the most important thing, bring money into the game of football in this country. Then we will be able to compare international football and the local football, the only difference now is the technical side of things in the premiership and the money.

    “We need to increase the money coming into football that’s the important thing; as we said, our players in the local league have shown that they can be some of the best players. That is why all the international clubs now want Nigerian players and it’s great news for us.”

    NAN reports that the kick-off date for the league has been postponed by the LMC to enable clubs that had yet to comply with its registration requirements to do so.

    According to the LMC, the 2013/2014 season would now kick-off on March 7 in all the centres across the nation.

  • BROADCAST RIGHTS: LMC challenges court jurisdiction to hear suit

    BROADCAST RIGHTS: LMC challenges court jurisdiction to hear suit

    Lawyers representing the League Management Company on Tuesday at the Lagos High Court challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear a suit instituted by total Promotions limited over broadcast rights for the Nigeria Premier league.

    LMC lawyers who also asked the court presided over my Justice Mrs Ogala to vacate an interlocutory injunction on their client, LMC, over the broadcast rights it entered into with Super Sport were however not successful in this bid as Bambo Adesanya, SAN representing Total Promotions opposed the request.

    LMC legal team also raised the issue of the affidavit sworn to by Total Promotion Chairman saying it was legally defective and should be thrown out

    However, Totals Adesanya SAN, argued that his learned opposing lawyer friend only served him their papers two days ago and that he would some days to study before he replies.

    The SAN accused his colleague representing LMC of deliberately making unnecessary requests to waste the time of the court in entertaining the substantive suit and subsequently asked for adjournment to next week for further hearing of the case. The court upheld the request.

    Lawyers representing the Nigeria Football Ltd who are the first defendants in the suit also claimed that they are yet to see the written document by the LMC lawyer challenging the affidavit of Total.

    In her response, the presiding judge refused to vacate the injunction but asked both parties to return to court next week Friday to hear the LMC challenge.

    The judge expressed displeasure over the obvious delay tactics by the LMC lawyer and cautioned him to refrain from wasting the time of the court.

    She subsequently awarded the sum of (N50,000) fifty thousand Naira to Total promotion legal team.

  • LMC inspects Akure Stadium

    LMC inspects Akure Stadium

    The League Management Company (LMC) on Wednesday inspected the Akure Township Stadium as part of efforts to certify the facility for the Glo Premier League season due to begin soon.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Linus Mba, an African Football Confederation (CAF) Instructor, carried out the inspection on behalf of the LMC.

    Some of the areas inspected included the stadium control room, spectator stands, first aid room, training facilities for visiting clubs, warm up area and the press centre.

    Mike Idoko, the Director, Technical and Management, Ondo State Football Agency, expressed confidence that the LMC would permit the use of the stadium.

    Idoko noted that the facility at the stadium met all the requirements of the league body, adding that Sunshine Stars FC would play at the stadium for the second successive season.

    “From what is on ground, I believe that the LMC will grant us the permission to use the stadium because we have met all the requirements of the body,” he said.

    The Chairman of the Sports Council, Mike Adeyeye, promised that the council was working hard to improve on the existing structures at the stadium.