Goalkeeper Bassey Akpan has told Naijaligue.blogspot.com that his relegated club, Bayelsa United, owes him the sum of N8.6 million for appearing in Premier League games in the past two seasons.
The former Golden Eaglets’ custodian accused the former Nigerian champion of also employing arm-twisting tactics in keeping him at the club against his wish.
Speaking on Tuesday afternoon through a telephone interview, Akpan made it clear that he is ready to forfeit the amount owed him by the club and move on to another side.
“I am being owed about N8.6 million by the management of Bayelsa United and that is excluding my match bonuses and salaries. But the club is behaving as if they do not owe me, which is annoying. As for me, I am ready to leave the club and I have made this clear to the chairman (Victor Baribote Rumson). I am not even particular about the money they owe me. I can leave it and move on with my life provided they allow me go.
“But at the moment, my (clearance) papers are with Bayelsa United and they do not want to release it to me to look elsewhere for a new job. I have been pleading with the club over this matter since the season ended but nothing has happened,” Akpan revealed.
However, the goalkeeper gave a breakdown of the N8.6 million owed him by Bayelsa United thus: “In 2008/2009 when we won the league, my signing-on fee was N4 million and as I speak to you till date Bayelsa United have paid me only N900,000 from that money. So as champions in 2009/2010 season, which just ended, I negotiated for the sum of N5.5 million as my signing-on fees since the previous contract was just for a year. Do you know that they have not paid me a dime from that money till date?
“Also, the club owes me match bonuses that I cannot recall because we played several games last season without being paid bonuses, so I cannot even remember how many now. It is even worse now because they are yet to pay two months of my salaries. I believe people will understand why I want to leave and even leave the money for them.”
Akpan said he has reported the matter to the Arbitration Panel of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and is still waiting to hear from it.
Rumson was unavailable for comment at the time of filing in this report as his telephone rang ceaselessly without response.
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