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By Clarkson Ogo

Following reaction over the sale of Delta Force NPFL slot to Kwara United by stakeholders in the state, Chairman of Delta State sports commission, Tonobok Okowo has identified reasons the slot was sold, Bestchoicesports.com.ng understands.

He said the League Management Company, LMC, wrote to them threatening to sanction any state that own more than one club in the NPFL. He also said the governor of the state gave him an option to choose between Warri wolves and Delta Force because of the high cost of running the three elite clubs in the state.

“Our hands were tied. The league Management Company, LMC, has written and threatened to sanction us, including other state that has more than one club in the NPFL. From then you will notice that no state government will own more than one elite clubs”.

He also said he was given the matching order by the governor to choose between Wolves and De Ambassadors.

“The governor gave me option to choose between Warri wolves and Delta Force to be sold. He said the cost of running the three premiership clubs including Delta Queens is very high. And without sentiment, I considered both clubs’ current performance, history and how they got their slot to the NPFL and Warri wolves was ahead”.

The fair complexion sports chairman said during the Okowa Cup organised by General Manager of Kwara United, Mr. Bash in Asaba, Kwara state approached him but he declined to sell the club to them .

“We didn’t sell Delta Force FC, we only sold the slot we bought for sixty five million naira (N65, 000, 000.00) from Kada City and made a profit of fifteen million naira just after ten months, we sold the slot for eighty million naira”.

“All players and coaches will be paid their salaries. We held a meeting after the press briefing”.

He said more attention will now be given to Warri Wolves.

Tonobok also informed that the governor of the state Doctor Ifeanyi Okowa has approved the budget of Warri Wolves with immediate effect.