Lumumba blames Points Per Game crisis on lack of sincerity

A former member of the Interim board of the then Nigeria Premier League, Hon. Lumumba Dah Adeh has said the ongoing crisis over the use of Points Per Game (PPG) formula to end the 2019/2020 NPFL season is as a result of insincerity already entrenched in the system.

Since June 21 when 17 of the 20 clubs in the now suspended NPFL voted to end the current season using the PPG mechanism, there has been endless agitations as two clubs, Lobi Stars and Akwa United are vehemently opposed to the decision.

Lumumba who spoke to Daily Trust yesterday said there is crisis because there is history of insincerity in Nigerian football so even if the intention is a good one, they will still complain because suspicion has been built over time in the manner things have always been done.

“The ongoing crisis is derived from our history. We have a history of politicising our sports generally but football in particular.

“Experiences have shown that we try to favour teams, sometimes even before the commencement of the league season, they decide which team is going to win, the one to be promoted or relegated.

“With that kind of tradition and history, one is not surprised that at the slightest excuse like the one provided by the coronavirus, people would resort to what they are used to doing and that is why we are where we are.

“Because it is a well known tradition, suspicion is naturally generated whichever way you go about it. So am not surprised that today the PPG is generating a lot of rancour and if you like misgivings among the clubs and stakeholders,” he said.

The former member of the House of Representatives from Plateau State reiterated that PPG is a formula that tries to ensure fairness but someone may be out to put it to negative use.

“We have this propensity for manipulation. We can manipulate anything. So those who are wailing over PPG may have a reason for doing so,” he concluded.