The management of the Bayelsa-owned male football team, Bayelsa United football club, has finally opened up on the unpaid twenty-five million naira prize money from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), for the 2021 AITEO cup champions.
The Chairman of the club, Ebiki Timitimi, dismissed reports in the media that the management refused to return the trophy won last year due to the NFF’s inability to pay the price money for the trophy.
Recall, that the Yenagoa-based Nigeria National League, NNL side won the 2021 Aiteo Cup on August 8, after defeating NPFL side Nasarawa United via penalty shootout, following a 2-2 draw at the end of extra-time.
Bayelsa United won the penalty shootout 4-3 to win the trophy for the first time ever in their history at the Ogbemudia stadium in Benin City, Edo State.
The Chairman while reacting to the report on a sports program in Yenagoa, said the club was yet to receive any official request demanding the return of the trophy.
Timitimi cautioned the fake news peddlers to always verify information from the club before putting it out to the public for their consumption.
He explained that the club have written to the apex football body in Nigeria to demand payment of the twenty-five million naira prize money, yet the NFF has failed to keep to their promise after one year for both teams, Bayelsa United and Bayelsa Queens.
He noted that the team is focused on its quest to return to the elite division and doesn’t want to be distracted with two games to go starting from Nnewi United this weekend and Cynosure Fc of Abakaliki at home.
He thanked Governor, Douye Diri, and his Deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo for their unending support to the team, assuring them of NPFL return.
It would be recalled that Kano Pillars also complained many years ago that they were not paid the prize money for the cup competition organized by the NFF.
