‘Match-fixing’ ruling out in ten days
by George Akpayen 07 February 2012, 16:25
The Organising and Disciplinary Committee of the troubled Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has declared that the verdict of its investigation into alleged match-fixing in the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) last season will be known in ten days or less.
Chairman of the committee and an executive committee member of the disputed NFF, Leye Adepoju told SuperSport.com that the investigation into the alleged match-fixing has been affected by “certain circumstances.”
But he revealed to SuperSport.com that the committee will take a decision inside ten days.
“By now we should have concluded our investigation into the allegation of match-fixing but due to certain circumstances beyond our power the issue has been lying pending. But I can assure that we should have a verdict ready by eight days or at worst ten days from now,” Adepoju said.
The match-fixing allegation was instituted by Lobi Stars’ vice chairman, Dominic Iorfa last year after a rescheduled Premier League game between Lobi Stars and Sunshine Stars ended 1 – 1 on September 1, 2011.
Iorfa had claimed that he saw the match officials for the game travelling to Bauchi (the match venue) in a car with an Ondo State registration, which he believes belong to a top official of Sunshine Stars.
The Lobi Stars’ chief was said to have tendered pictures of the match officials inside the alleged car belonging to Sunshine Stars before the panel as evidence.
However, during the hearing before the NFF organising and disciplinary committee in Abuja last September, the matter took a new twist when one of the referees, Chrisantus Okoro, involved in the alleged match-fixing pointed fingers at Dolphins’ manager, Stanley Eguma.
Since the hearing in September 2011, the NFF committee is yet to make any pronouncement on the matter.
The inquest into the allegation of match-fixing started on September 21, 2011 in which principal officers of Lobi Stars and Sunshine Stars as well as the match officials and the referees’ appointment committee were invited to speak on their various positions.
SuperSport.com now understands that any club found guilty of the allegation stands the risk of being demoted to the lower league or face deduction of points while officials could be handed lengthy suspension.