By Amaechi Agbo

No fewer than 12 privately owned clubs have withdrawn from the ongoing 2020/2021 Nigeria National League NNL season.

The clubs in a three-page letter sent to the Chief Operating Officer of the NNL in which the Nigeria Football Federation General Secretary and the Nigeria Referees Association were copied noted that the reasons for their discontinuing participation in the league was due improper draw for the league, poor officiating as well as deficiency in appointment of referees.

The clubs are: Delta Force FC, Abia Comets FC, Apex Krane FC, Holy Arrows FC, Dynamite Force FC and J. Atete FC
Others are: Oyah Sports FC, FC One Rockets, Giants Brillars FC, Godosky FC, Calabar Rovers FC and Aklosendi FC.

Below is the letter obtained by our Correspondent

NNL PRIVATE FOOTBALL CLUB OWNERS ASSOCIATION

    18th March, 2021 

The Chief Operating Officer,
Nigeria National League, NFF Annex, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja.

NIGERIA NATIONAL LEAGUE 2020/2021 SEASON: TEAMS WITHDRAWAL

We first and foremost use this medium to congratulate our indefatigable pragmatic president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Mr. Melvin Amaju Pinnick on his emergence as FIFA Executive Committee Member; the highest decision making body of football globally. We believe his emergence is not only timely but well deserved. It is also our sincere desire that our leader will use this opportunity to improve the game of football in Nigeria especially our league (NNL) that has suffered from inadequate funding due to lack of sponsorship.

We also appreciate our amiable Chairman Distinguished Senator Obinna Ogba and our CEO Barr. Sajo Mohammed and the Secretariat for their tireless efforts in trying to get sponsorship for the ailing league.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE CURRENT 2020/2021 NNL SEASON
The NNL 2020/2021 season commenced on the 13th February, 2021 with a lot of excitement after the 2019/2020 season was not concluded because of a myriad of issued connected to poor officiating by Referees appointed to officiate most of the matches.

It is however sad to note that even in the current 2020/2020 NNL season the desire to have good officiating from Referees appointed so far is far from reality as we noticed that the current season is so far worse than the inconclusive 2019/2020 season which was stopped as a result of complaints by clubs of bad officiating. It is imperative to state that we observed with dismay that the current NNL season has not improved as Referees continue to officiate with impunity rendering our hard-earned resources useless.

Some of our concerns include but not limited to the following:

1. IMPROPER DRAWS FOR 2020/2021 NNL SEASON
   Contrary to the internationally acceptable standard and best practices in conducting draws which is to conduct draws in an open and transparent manner involving all stakeholders, the 2020/2021 draws were conducted by the Secretariat in secrecy. This action of the secretariat shows a compromise in the procedure and that has played out in the current league.
2. UNPRECEDENTED POOR OFFICIATING IN THE 2020/2021
   We have observed that clubs especially privately owned clubs are suffering from this unprecedented bad officiating by the Referees in the current NNL season. This has brought the integrity of the league into disrepute.
3. APPOINTMENT OF REFEREES
   We also observed that Referees appointment appears to be defective. We are ready to offer more explanation to further buttress our observations with actual happenings in the field of play.

It is in view of the foregoing reasons that the under listed clubs have unanimously agreed to pull out of the 2020/2021 league with effect from Monday 22nd March, 2021 if nothing is done to address the issues raised in this letter.

1. Delta Force FC
2. Abia Comets FC
3. Apex Krane FC
4. Holy Arrows FC
5. Dynamite Force FC
6. J. Atete FC
7. Oyah Sports FC
8. FC One Rockets
9. Giants Brillars FC
10. Godosky FC
11. Calabar Rovers FC
12. Aklosendi FC

We also must remind the Board of the NNL of the excruciating impact of Covid-19 on sporting activities especially as it affects sporting clubs and the urgent need to release the 50% balance of our 2019/2020 season Covid-19 palliatives from the Nigeria National Football League to all the Clubs.

While looking forward to your intervention, please accept our sporting regards.

Sign:

1. Delta Force FC
2. Abia Comets FC
3. Apex Krane FC
4. Holy Arrows FC
5. Dynamite Force FC
6. J. Atete FC
7. Oyah Sports FC
8. FC One Rockets
9. Giants Brillars FC
10. Godosky FC
11. Calabar Rovers FC
12. Aklosendi FC

Cc:
The General Secretary Nigeria Football Federation.

 The President, 
 Nigeria (Football) Referees Association. 

 The Chairman, 
 Technical Committee, 
 Nigeria Football Federation, 

 Chairman, 

Referees Appointment Committee,
Nigeria Football Federation