Nigerian Football
2019 AITEO CUP QUARTER FINAL A CLASH OF TOP SEEDS AS LOBI STARS FACE RIVERS UNITED
BY SAMMY WEJINYA.
The stand out fixture of the 2019 AITEO Cup quarter finals will be played on Friday at the Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode.
Eight sides, Kano Pillars, Rivers United, Aklosendi, Lobi Stars, Niger Tornadoes, Smart City, Bendel Insurance and Calabar Rovers are still in the running to claim the prestigious diadem but only one will be left standing in the end.
The AITEO Cup has been severally described as the scourge of the giants and the delight of the minnows but one of the last eight fixtures seems too close to call.
Lobi Stars and their war cry
Lobi Stars and Rivers United will go toe to toe in a high profile clash for a right to reach the semifinals of Nigeria’s oldest football competition on Friday.
The Makurdi club have been slowly but steadily going about their business in the competition.
They beat Kebbi United 1-0 in the round of 64 before following it up with a 2-0 win over Enugu Rangers in a feisty round of 32 contest at the Bako Kontagora Stadium, Minna.
In the round of 16, the Makurdi club came from a goal down to overpower Abia Warriors 3-1 at the Akure Township
Lobi will however come up against their sternest test yet when they meet an in-form Rivers United side that have scored the most goals (of all the eight sides still left in the competition).
United have also yet to concede in the competition but spokesman of the Lobi club, Agbo Igoche believes the Makurdi outfit will be successful on Friday.
“The objective for Lobi Stars now is to win the AITEO Cup since we failed in winning the league title,” he told the official Rivers United website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
“The two sides know themselves so well so it’s going to be a very good game of football, quite explosive.
“These are two very good sides but I think Lobi Stars will win 2-0,” he predicted.
Rivers United; a force of nature
Rivers United is the most in-form team still left in the 2019 AITEO Cup.
The ‘Pride of Rivers’ have been irresistible and steamrolled their way into the quarter finals of the competition playing some wonderfully open, aesthetic and effective football.
A 4-0 win in the round of 64 over FC Timberloader in Lafia was followed up with a classy 3-0 dismantling of pre-tournament favourites, Akwa United in Enugu in the round of 32.
In the round of 16, United tamed Warri Wolves 2-0 and have now scored nine goals while conceding none in their previous three matches.
Technical manager of United, Stanley Eguma is understandably in bullish form ahead of Friday’s contest.
“We are ready for any team that comes our way. We know Lobi is a big club and we have respect for them.
“However, as it stands now, we are determined to crush any team that comes our way.
“The players are in high spirits and we are ready to forge ahead and move into the next stage of the competition,” he said.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will on Thursday, April 2, 2026 inaugurate its Electoral Committee and Electoral Appeals Committee, marking a key step in preparations for the federation’s next executive elections.
The inauguration ceremony will take place at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja and will be presided over by NFF President and WAFU B Zone President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
The two committees were constituted during last week’s Extraordinary General Assembly held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, as part of the roadmap towards the NFF Elective Congress scheduled for September 26 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
A total of 12 members have been appointed across both bodies. The Electoral Committee will comprise seven members, including a chairperson, vice chairperson and three other full members, alongside two alternates. The Electoral Appeals Committee will have five members, made up of three full members and two alternates.
According to the NFF, the Electoral Committee will oversee the entire electoral process in line with the provisions of the federation’s Statutes (March 2026 edition) and Electoral Code (March 2026). Its responsibilities include organizing, conducting and supervising elections into the NFF Executive Committee.
Those appointed into the two committees include Matthew Burkala (SAN), Hon. Justice C.J. Aneke, Emmanuel Dada Obafemi, Babagoni Grema, Benjamin Sak, Bature Musa and Professor Abdulmalik Awwal. Others are Arinze Azubuike Anughere, Dr Akogun Olugbenga Omole, Abayomi Akin Omoyimi, Ayibaye Peter Great Temedie and Ayi Ekpo Ukpayam.
Thursday’s inauguration is expected to formally set the committees in motion, with their immediate mandate being to lay the groundwork for a transparent and credible electoral process leading to the September congress.
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Nigerian Football
NSC, Edo FA Back Ikhana Football Academy, Set to Adopt Model for Youth Development
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, and the Edo State Football Association have pledged strong institutional support for the newly launched Kadiri Ikhana Football Academy (KIFA), describing it as a model for grassroots football development in Nigeria.
The commitment was made during the official unveiling of the academy in Auchi, Edo State, on Saturday, where stakeholders praised the initiative of former Nigerian international, Kadiri Ikhana.
Represented at the event by his aide, Ebidowei Oweife, Olopade commended Ikhana for establishing an academy that integrates football training with formal education, noting that the Commission intends to nurture and replicate the model across the country.
“We are happy that a person of the calibre of Coach Kadiri Ikhana has taken this initiative. He is not only a member of the historic 1980 Green Eagles squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations but also the first Nigerian coach to win the CAF Champions League with Enyimba,” Olopade said.
Declaring the project a priority, the NSC boss added, “The academy is our baby, and we shall adopt it. We are particularly impressed that it combines football with schooling. We want the students to take their education seriously alongside their football careers. The NSC will definitely support this project.”
Also throwing its weight behind the initiative, the Edo State Football Association described the academy as a significant step toward youth empowerment and football development in the state.
Chairman of the association, Fred Newton, who was represented at the ceremony, praised Ikhana for investing his experience and knowledge in grooming the next generation of players.
“We are delighted that you have chosen to give back by shaping young talents in Edo State. This initiative will have a lasting impact not only in Edo North but across the entire state. We are fully behind you and will support you in achieving your goals,” Newton stated.
The Kadiri Ikhana Football Academy is expected to serve as a hub for nurturing young football talents while ensuring their academic growth, aligning with broader efforts to create a more structured and sustainable pathway for sports development in Nigeria.
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By Kunle Solaja.
For the fourth time, the elective congress of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, will be held in September. It is a pattern that evolved in Warri in 2014 when Amaju Pinnick was elected on 30 September.
Four years later in Katsina, another elective congress was held in Katsina on September 20. Four years ago in Benin, the 30 September election brought in Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
Another September fever is in the offing as the NFF will hold its next Elective Congress on Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State.
The decision was ratified by the NFF Extraordinary General Assembly at its meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, as part of resolutions aimed at setting the stage for the federation’s next leadership cycle.
The Elective Congress will determine the composition of the NFF Executive Committee, including the election of a president and other key officials to steer the affairs of Nigerian football for the next term.
By fixing both the date and venue several months in advance, the federation is expected to provide ample time for electoral preparations, including the nomination of candidates, screening processes and compliance with provisions of the NFF Statutes and Electoral Code.
The choice of Lafia underscores the NFF’s continued rotation of major football events across different parts of the country, while also aligning with efforts to ensure a transparent and orderly electoral process.
Further details regarding the election timetable and guidelines are expected to be released by the NFF Electoral Committee in the coming months.
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