Plateau United deny matchfixing, threaten legal action
The management of Plateau United football club of Jos has condemned in strong terms, allegations of match-fixing and referee manipulation which alleged to have aided the club in winning the 20162017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title.
In a petition by Technical Director, National Association of Nigerian Football (NANF), Awala Jumbo alleged that Plateau United had fixed a match and manipulated match officials when the club played against Kano Pillars in Kano.
A statement signed by the Media Officer of the club, Albert Dakup said that the allegations were not only malicious and baseless, but a calculated attempt to rubbish the rising profile of the team as well as the good image of Plateau state government under Governor Simon Bako Lalong.
The club, while it condemned the unfounded allegations, it also challenged Awala Jumbo to produce incontrovertible evidence to prove his point or face legal action.
The Tin City club added that the allegations raised that Plateau United organized a grand celebration in honour of Ahmed Yusuf Fresh for his support in aiding the club win the league, only exist in the figment of his own imagination.
United said that the award was actually for Fresh Birthday which also coincided with the kick-off of his grassroots football tournament organized for teams in Plateau state as he did in Kaduna.
The statement said, “It is interested to note that, the said occasion attracted some chairmen of Premier, National League as well as Non-league club across the country as well as other football stakeholders which Awala Jumba failed to mention.”
On the match between Kano Pillars and Plateau United which the author of the petition alleged was fixed and manipulated by the match officials, Dakup explained that all the goals scored by both sides were genuine.
He pointed that Plateau United goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye’s heroics performance between the sticks also drew wide applause from the homebased Super Eagles coaches who at then were preparing for the crucial CHAN 2018 qualifiers against Benin in Kano.
“We in Plateau United view these allegations as the handiwork of mischief makers who are not happy with the team winning the title.”
The club appealed to its teeming fans and government of Plateau state to disregard these baseless and unfounded allegations.