The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Pyagbara

  • ‘Pyagbara remains MOSOP’s president’

    The Administrative Manager of the Movement for Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Peter Nbotem, has condemned rumours being circulated by Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface that Chief Legborsi Pyagbara is no longer the president of MOSOP.

    Nbotem said Pyagbara was still their president.

    He said: “On December 3, 2018, members of MOSOP’s Steering Committee, the highest decision-making organ of the organisation, met as stipulated by the constitution. After a careful appraisal of the state of the movement, and guided by precedents in the organisation, resolved to shift the December 2018 elections till mid-2019, when the general elections would have been concluded.

    Read also: Alkali: Police declare 13 more persons wanted

    “Following the shift, the tenure of the current leadership was also extended till the elections are conducted and new officers emerge. The position of the steering committee was communicated to all organs of MOSOP and the public.

    “Pyagbara addressed a news conference on Ogoni Day (January 4), and promptly answered questions from reporters. MOSOP has not conducted any election; the kangaroo elections purportedly conducted in the name of the movement are the handiwork of desperados and busybodies, keen on seizing control of the organisation.

    “Statements about Ogoni or MOSOP leadership emanating from such quarters should be ignored. All enquiries regarding MOSOP should be directed to its president (Pyagbara) or the secretary-general, Anthony Porole.”

    The suspended Publicity Secretary of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke, and a former top official, Bari-ara Kpalap, among others, are claiming to be presidents of MOSOP.

  • Pyagbara: Plateau United not special team

    Pyagbara: Plateau United not special team

    Akwa United’s Christian Pyagbara has stated that Plateau United are not in the same class as Enyimba, Enugu Rangers and other top sides in the NPFL despite the team occupying the first position on the log after eight matches.

    It was Pyagbara that initiated what led to the end of the unbeaten start of the Jos side in the league this season after he dribbled the Tin City’s goalkeeper, John Gaadi for the opening goal in the sixth minute while Alhassan Ibrahim doubled the tally in the 50th minute before Chima Ndukwu reduced the deficit in the 60th minute.

    “Plateau United are not that special team. They are a good side but they are not that special team. I don’t see them in the light as like when we played against Rangers. You cannot compare the two,” Pyagbara told SportingLife.

    “It is just that things are working well for them and it is the reason they are on top of the league.”

    Akwa United are 14th on the log with nine points from eight matches and are on the road to Gombe as guests of Gombe United this weekend in a NPFL Match Day 9 tie.

  • Super Four: Pyagbara predicts Enyimba’s resurgence

    Super Four: Pyagbara predicts Enyimba’s resurgence

    Enyimba striker,  Christian Pyagbara is confident that the reigning Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Champions will make a bigger statement at the second leg of the NPFL Super Four Tournament billed to start in Uyo on Monday.

    The People’s Elephant are placed 2nd after the conclusion of the Kaduna leg of the 2016 Super Four tournament courtesy of their one win, one draw and one loss record at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.

    In a chat to www.npfl.ng, the soft-spoken Pyagbara said he expects that the more time spent together by his richly talented team, the better the results they will get.

    “We’ve been training hard since the end of the Kaduna tournament and we will always be training hard. You know there are many new players here and I’m sure as we spend time with each other, our results will get better,” said the former Flying Eagles star.

    Pyagbara, who joined from relegated Sharks Football Club scored his first goal for Enyimba in their 2-0 win over Warri Wolves in his team’s last match at the Kaduna Super Four. A native of Gokana in Rivers State, the attacker is delighted to have quickly gotten off the ground with his new team and is ready to make contributions to the team’s success.

    “I am doing my best to contribute to the success of the team and I am happy to have scored on my second start. It eases the pressure on you as a striker and the coach has told us he would field us based on how we perform during training sessions. So I will continue to give my best to ensure the team performs well,” added Pyagbara.

    Having amassed four points from three matches in Kaduna, Pyagbara is fully aware of what the team has to do in Uyo starting from Monday if they hope to be crowned Super Four Champions.

    “I strongly believe we have all it takes to win the Super Four at Uyo. All we need to do is to put our heads together, play like a team and help one another. I’m sure that with the quality we have, we will achieve victory,” he said.

  • Pyagbara re-elected MOSOP president

    Pyagbara re-elected MOSOP president

    The former President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Pyagbara, has been re-elected.

    The 2015 MOSOP Electoral Committee chairman, Prince Birah, announced this at the weekend when he addressed reporters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    Birah, who spoke through the committee’s Secretary, Bari-Ara Kpalap, said Pyagbara won all the 51 votes cast in the election at MOSOP Centre in Bori, Khana Local Government Area, on December 30, last year, beating Mike-Lube Nwidobie, who staged a walk-out before voting started.

    He regretted that Nwidobie, who he said left the election venue without casting his vote and did not know the outcome of the poll, organised a media briefing in Port Harcourt where he allegedly declared himself winner of the election.

    Describing Nwidobie’s action as a mere distraction to MOSOP’s leadership, Birah urged him to use legal means to express his grievances, if he could not consult the Organisation’s internal mechanism instead of creating, causing unnecessary confusion and tension in the area.

    Birah admitted that Nwidobie sent a petition to the electoral committee after presenting his manifesto on the day of the election, alleging shadiness in the electoral process.

    According to him, the MOSOP chieftain also complained about lack of confidence in the electoral body as well as the adoption of unconstitutional electoral procedure.

    He was said to have demanded the resignation of the election body.

    Birah said: “After the accreditation, which was done in the presence of all the candidates, including those vying for other positions, opportunity was given to the two presidential candidates to present their manifestos, after which the ballot boxes were brought and inspected, by turning it upside-down to confirm that it was empty.

    “It was at that point he began his protests, alleged bias on the electoral body and the composition of the accredited voters. After this, he walked out of the election hall and headed to Port Harcourt to declare himself winner. He said several other things, including misquoting the MOSOP constitution on election, to mislead unsuspecting public and the Ogoni.”

  • Pyagbara keeps Sharks outside drop zone

    Pyagbara keeps Sharks outside drop zone

    Ex-Nigeria U-20 star Christian Pyagbara was the hero of Sharks as his lone strike beat fellow strugglers Kwara United to keep the Port Harcourt club above the relegation zone.

    Pyagbara converted a spot kick in the 63rd minute after Saka Habeen handled the ball inside the vital area for what proved to be the match winner.

    Sharks are 16th on the league table with 45 points from 37 games, while Kwara remain in 18th place on 39 points.

    For the final day of the season, Sharks visit Abia Warriors and Kwara welcome FC IfeanyiUbah.

     

  • Allen heaps praises on Ayodele, Pyagbara

    Allen heaps praises on Ayodele, Pyagbara

    Sharks FC goal keeper, Henry Ayodele was undoubtedly the Man of the Match in the Weekend fixture between Bayelsa Utd and Sharks Fc after making 15 saves at the Oghara township  stadium.

    The heavily built goal keeper who was dubbed the Big Show by Oghara fans made six of the saves in the opening 28 minutes and got thumbs up from his coach, Festus Allen who described Ayodele’s feat as a heroic performance worthy of the accolades from the fans.

    “The goalkeeper was the hero of the game, most especially the saves he made in the first half were simply mind blowing.”

    “He deserves all the accolades poured out on him by the fans and Ayodele was  so instrumental to our victory”,Allen said.

    Allen also did not fail to heap praise on Christian Pyagbara whose  brilliance from an impossible situation in the 72nd minute gave Sharks maximum point.

    “It is this kind of performance that distinguishes a striker from another; Christian was in his right element today.

    “Scoring from an impossible situation can only be possible through sheer individual brilliance, to me it was a clinical finish and Pyagbara did the needful,”Allen said.

    And with his second away win of the season in as many as eight matches coach Allen is optimistic the 1-0 victory over Bayelsa United will spur the team when they  host Lobi Stars in a rescheduled league fixture on Wednesday.

  • Pyagbara stars in The Predictor’s XI

    Christian Pyagbara was just super for Sharks on Sunday at Kaduna United and almost single-handed wreaked the Crocodiles in their domain on Sunday.

    The Sharks playmaker is my main man in a 5-2-2-1 formation I have adopted for my team of the week after Match Day 8 of the Glo Premier League.

    The former Nigerian under-20 midfielder scored Sharks’ two goals including a sublime second in which he took on the Kaduna United defence in a solo effort before slotting the ball past John Shuaibu.

    Pyagbara was the man pulling the strings in midfield for the Blue Angels until injury forced him out in the 72nd minute. But the youngster had done the damage on Kaduna United by then. He has now scored three goals in his last two league match for Sharks.

    Sharks will go on to dominate my team of the week with goalkeeper Danladi Isah claiming the number one spot while defenders, Yusuf Jayeola, Alaba Osawe and Soga Sambo deservedly get mentions for their performance.

    My coach of the week is undoubtedly Gbenga Ogunbote of Sharks, who has turned around the fortunes of the Blue Angels from a struggling team to title contenders.

    Chinedu Udoji, Nojeem Raji, Madu Christian, Andrew Abalogu, Mfon Udoh and Saibou Badarou complete my team of the week.

    The Predictor’s XI – Match Day 8

    Danladi Isah (Sharks) – Yusuf Jayeola (Sharks), Chinedu Udoji (Enyimba), Nojeem Raji (Giwa FC), Alaba Osawe (Sharks), Soga Sambo (Sharks) – Madu Christian (Giwa FC), Christian Pyagbara (Sharks) – Andrew Abalogu (Enyimba), Mfon Udoh (Enyimba) – Saibou Badarou (Heartland)

    Coach: Gbenga Ogunbote (Sharks)