El-Kanemi to lose six points over players’ debts
The League Management Company (LMC) yesterday warned that it would deduct six points from El-Kanemi Warriors’ accumulated points in the ongoing Nigeria Premier League if the club fail to meet the deadline set for it to settle the outstanding salaries owed its players.
Disclosing this yesterday, the league organizing body said that the club has been notified of the decision following the expiration of the grace period given to its owners to pay the players and technical crew their several months of unpaid salaries.
LMC Chief Operating Officer, Alhaji Salihu Abubakar said the club will lose six points from their present accumulated 45 points if the owners fail to meet its financial commitment to the players within the next 14 days.
According to Salihu, the decision on El-Kanemi Warriors was conveyed to the club in a letter dated October 7 and warned that if there was no proof of compliance after October 27, the club will lose six points.
While the 60 days notice lasted, the LMC also write to El-Kanemi demanding full details of the club’s financial position as provided in the LMC rules, which response was not satisfactory. A notice of reminder of expiry of the deadline was also sent to the club which formed the basis for the decision to deduct six points from the club’s total points.
Salihu in the letter explained that the decision was sequel to notice of Summary Jurisdiction (Form 16) issued the club on August 5 wherein El-Kanemi Warriors was given a period of 60 days to remedy the breach. The club was informed that the consequences of their failure to remedy the breach are:
“A deduction of six points is imposed on El-Kanemi Warriors” and that “the application of the points deduction referred in 1 above is suspended for a period of 14 clear working days from the date of this decision provided that if the club fails to remedy the breach within the period, the points deduction shall immediately take effect from October 28, 2015”.
El-Kanemi FC, who are presently placed 13th on the league table with 43points will drop to the relegation zone if the club failto meet the deadline.
Warri Wolves, FC Taraba, and Dolphins are other clubs that have been issued notices of Summary Jurisdiction (Form 16) with deadlines that fall within the month of October.