Friday, July 10, 2009

Kwara Officially Agrees To Host Super Four

After several weeks of talks with the Kwara State government over playing host to the Super Four, the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) has confirmed that it has finally got the nod from the state.
In a chat with chairman of NPL, Oyuki Obaseki, he said that the Premier League board received a letter this week from the Kwara State government that confirmed the state’s interest in bankrolling the one-week tournament.
Obaseki also told our correspondent that the Premier League board requested for about 250 rooms for the players and officials of the four clubs scheduled to take part as well as NPL officials and other invited guests of the league arbiter.
Nigerian champion, Bayelsa United, Heartland Football Club, Enyimba and Warri Wolves are the four clubs that would compete in the one-week pre-season tournament.
But the former Bendel Insurance Football Club chairman further disclosed that the Kwara State government could only approve 80 rooms as accommodation for the Premier League board for one week.
“I am reading a letter in front of me now that is from the Kwara State government. They have written us officially to accept to play host to the Super Four after a verbal agreement earlier. We demanded that they should make about 250 rooms available for us but they approve 80 rooms accommodation. It is a very big gesture from the Kwara State government and we really appreciate what they have done because 80 rooms for one week is a huge amount of money if we decide to break everything down in naira and kobo,” he said.
The Premier League board boss informed that the Kwara State government is only providing accommodation for the Super Four as well as facilities in the stadium, which is the most important aspect of the tournament.
On reports that the Kwara State government has made available N6 million for the organisation of the Super Four, Obaseki denied knowledge of the development stating that the NPL did not request money.
“I am not aware of the Kwara State government making money available for the Super Four. What I know is that they have made 800 rooms available as accommodation, which I have the letter from the Kwara State government stating that,” he said.
It was reported that the Kwara State government had made the sum of N6 million available to the organiser of the Super Four in Ilorin.
The report also stated that the Kwara State government is expected to provide a total sum of N18 million to bankroll the one-week pre-season tournament.

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