Dikko: Why LMC bailed out Women’s League

SECOND vice-president of the Nigeria Foootball Federation (NFF) and Chairman, League Management Company (LMC), Mallam Shehu Dikko has explained to thenff.com that the N10 million bailout handed to the Nigeria Women Football League was part of a solidarity payment that other Leagues have benefitted from in the recent past.

Last week, the LMC came to the rescue of the Nigeria Women Football League with the sum of N10 million, for the NWFL to successfully prosecute the second round of the season.

A number of Clubs had ran foul of the provisions of the NWFL regulations, failing to honour three matches, and were subsequently thrown out of the League. However, with the lifeline from the LMC, the NWFL has been able to restore all the expelled Clubs back to the League and reschedule their matches. The NWFL is now in a position to pay indemnities of match officials, taking the responsibility off host teams. The matches resumed at the weekend.

“The N10 million is part of solidarity payment from LMC to other Leagues in line with international best practices, to ensure the stability and development of lower Leagues.

“The Nigeria National League (NNL) and the Nationwide League One (NLO), and indeed the Players Union, have severally benefitted from the solidarity payment from the LMC to boost their activities and ensure stability within the football structure,” stated Dikko.

Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee of the NWFL, Alhaji Babagana Kalli has commended the gesture of the LMC: “This gesture is praiseworthy and should be applauded by all football stakeholders. It is the reason we have been able to resume the second round of the season and reschedule all matches that were not played for one reason or the other.”

All rescheduled games will be played in midweek while the regular matches come up during the weekends.