The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Wednesday queried the General Manager of Nigerian National League (NNL) side Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan for comments he made on a radio programme in the Oyo State capital on Wednesday.
Balogun whose team Shooting Stars are among five teams who have refused to report to Aba, venue of the proposed season-ending Super Eight Playoffs designed to determine the four teams that will promote to the top flight Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) at the end of the season sought to explain his side’s disposition on the radio programme.
www.aclsports.com scooped that the NFF are irked by comments which Balogun made regarding clubs mandated to play at the Super Eight tournament.
We sought for the recordings of the audio interview and extracted the following comments as the ones that might have prompted the football house to demand for further explanations into them.
“My brother, we have been in this game, at least for three months, if not more than that. They said eight teams should go and play competition, five opted out. Then something is happening,” began Balogun.
“My brother, those three that went there, it is not in their own interests, they went there based on what really, Real Stars is owned by former Minister Sambawa (Samaila) and it is the Chairman of LMC that is managing the club for him. Are you hearing me now?
“Now, Delta (Force is from the state of the NFF President. Then the third club, Gombe United is from Salisu (Abubakar, LMC COO)’s state so they can maneuver those ones and you know what happens, they will call me, Balogun don’t worry, take your team there, it is you and Insurance that will qualify.
“They will call Insurance, take your team there, it is you and Remo that will qualify. They will call Remo, take your team there, it is you and Delta Force that will qualify. They turn us to babies,” said Balogun
On his message to Shooting Stars fans going into the Yuletide season, Balogun concluded:
“They’ve been cheating 3SC a lot in the past, this time we should say no!”
The 3SC supremo has been given forty-eight hours to explain his controversial comments to the football governing body.
