The senior special assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on grassroots football development, Prince Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye has called on officials of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to formulate a law guiding the financial strength of clubs in the top-flight.
Sports247 reports that Adeboye made the call against the backdrop of a move by Kun Khalifa FC of Owerri to pull out of the league early this week, but they were virtually begged to rescind their decision.
SSA Adeboye described the development as ‘disturbing’ and stressed that such a situation can not occur in any top football country across the world, where football rules are well spelt out.
He added in an exclusive interview with Sports247: “It’s very, very disturbing, and I have to come out openly to speak against it. This tells us again that Nigeria’s sports is a little bit not yet there, especially in football.
“Although Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye has been doing a lot, and he deserves so much respect, he is being disappointed by the clubs.
“That’s why there must be laws or a rule that stops a club from registering if they cannot compete at the national level of the NPFL.
“We see clubs in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America, but they don’t do things like this. Every club must be ready to play in the NPFL.”
He concluded by suggesting that the NPFL should also come out with a salary benchmark that no club in the league should fall below, according to what they pay their players monthly.
“No club owner should expect Nigerian players to be paid peanuts in the NPFL. Anyone paying 300,000 or 400,000 is not prepared and not ready to play in the NPFL.
“The least that any team is expected to pay their players in the NPFL should be 850,000. That should be their minimum.
“I spoke with the owner (of Kun Khalifa), and I advised him to sell the slot to the NNL’s second position team. I said he should negotiate with them or partner with them,” Adeboye recalled.
Sports247 gathered further that Kun Khalifa FC’s chief executive officer, Michael Amaefula announced on Thursday that the club’s management have changed their decision to withdraw from the NPFL.
