Nigerian Football
Stores Supporters Deny Allegations
Stationery Stores Supporters Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited (also known as Stationery Stores Supporters Trust) has denied allegations raised against it in a newspaper publication last Saturday.
In a press release, signed by Barrister Oladipupo Atoloye, the assistant national secretary and Soji Akintola, the national treasurer, it was pointed out that the publication reported that Abayomi Banire who claimed to be chairman of Stationery Stores Supporters Club had asked both the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and Sports minister, Solomon Dalung to ignore the Stationery Stores Supporters Trust in the quest for the return of Super Stores.
According to the press release, Abayomi Banire went on to allege that:
- Stationery Stores Supporters Trust does not represent the interest of Stores’ fans.
- It does not have the permission and consent of the Club owners
- That he, Abayomi Banire is the only one who can facilitate an engagement with the club owners by anyone who wants to “…represent Stores.”
- That the supporters do not know any “James Ime or Yomi Opakunle.”
- That some hijackers have been deceiving the fans and “using the name of the Club to gather players.”
- That the Stationery Stores Supporters Trust has been “collecting money from people”.
Responding to the allegations, the Stationery Stores Supporters Trust wrote:
“We wish to respond, for the avoidance of doubt and to debunk these weighty and libellous allegations as follows:
“The Stationery Stores Supporters Trust is a freewill aggregation of those who support Stationery Stores FC. It is registered as a Cooperative Multipurpose Society with the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives with registration number LSCS 15613 and inaugurated by the officials of its Ikeja Area Office at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium Lagos, before the public, on October 22, 2016.
“It is open to only those supporters who wish to join and its membership is not mandatory. It was set up as part of a process of organising interested Supporters and under the mandate given by Stationery Stores Football Club Limited (RC 146339) on March 10 2014.
“Messrs Eliashib Ime-James and Yomi Opakunle are both National President and National Secretary of the Trust respectively as elected by members of the Stationery Stores Supporters Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited.
“They, as well as all members of the Trust, are exercising their freedom to associate, hold and express opinion as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999).
“That our publicly-expressed support for the positions of His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State, Governor Akinwumi Ambode, and the Honourable Minister of Youth & Sports, Federal Government of Nigeria, Comrade Solomon Dalung, on the need for legacy clubs like Stationery Stores FC to return to action was in good faith and devoid of any intention to obtain pecuniary gain.
“These two well-respected citizens gave a very high profile support to our efforts, over the past 10 years and at great personal cost to us, to see the return of Stationery Stores FC.
“We state categorically that the Trust has never collected money from people under any false pretence. Indeed, SSST only began the processing of the Directorate of Cooperatives-sanction opening of bank account upon receipt of its Registration Certificate in early February 2017 from the Directorate and which is yet to be concluded.
“SSST at the Directorate of Cooperatives-directed Pre-Registration General Meeting, passed a resolution that all transactions of the Trust including the yet-to-commence mandatory monthly savings, must be cashless and done only through bank transactions.
“It has so far organised two events viz. A “Supporters’ Day” at which it honoured some supporters, former administrators and coaches, including the former 1st civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, the doyen of Sports Journalism & Stationery Stores FC’s 1st Team Manager – Pa Peter Osugo a.k.a. PECOS and Mr. Shola Idowu a.k.a. Mr. Anonymous, amongst many others (in October 2016); as well as the presentation of Awards to seven former players who were part of the all-conquering 1992 set of Stationery Stores FC coached by the Late Abdulahi Bebe (January 2017).
“These events were personally funded by SSST EXCO Members. Outside of these two, the Supporters Trust has not undertaken any project nor has it solicited money from anyone. Furthermore, these two events were not only well-attended but widely publicised in the domestic news media and internationally, with support from all those interested in seeing that the permanent return of Stationery Stores FC becomes a reality.
“The Stationery Stores Supporters Trust has never gathered players as it is not a football club and does not own any football club. It has no intention of taking over Stationery Stores FC as that is not part of its aims and it is not a shareholder of SSFC.
“It is simply an organised platform for supporting the owners of the Club in ensuring not only the return, but the viability of the Club and ensuring that supporters have a formal say in efforts to move the club forward.
“It is clear that Mr. Abayomi Banire’s reported allegations are not only false and malicious, but are calculated to destabilise efforts by interested supporters to better organise themselves.
“It sought to impugn the character, credibility, image and reputation of Eliashib Ime-James and Yomi Opakunle —two key actors of the Trust, in a futile attempt to destroy a worthy and completely new approach to organising supporters in Nigeria and we wholeheartedly condemn it.
“Furthermore, we also consider Mr. Banire’s reported Press Release to be an emerging but clearly futile effort to frustrate the permanent return and viability of Stationery Stores FC.
“Given the fate that has befallen the club in recent times and the spirited effort of the Adebajo family and many people of goodwill to ensure the existence of a strong and viable Stationery Stores FC, this dangerous recourse to blackmail and libel by the said Mr. Banire and his sponsors should be condemned by all well-meaning supporters of our great club and indeed by all sports lovers.
“In conclusion, we are in support of all legitimate efforts being considered by our two Executive Committee members to redress the damage to their image, credibility and reputation and will do everything in our power to support them in doing so.
Rivers United head coach and technical manager, Finidi George, has praised young defender Ochiobi Elias following his outstanding performance in the club’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture on Wednesday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The left-back, who played the full 90 minutes, was instrumental in helping Rivers United maintain a clean sheet, marking one of his most confident outings since his promotion to the senior squad.
Finidi, visibly impressed after the match, revealed that his decision to give Elias a full game was driven by trust in the player’s potential, despite his limited minutes earlier in the season.
“I think he did well. Normally, we should have been bringing him in gradually — maybe 15 minutes before giving him a 90-minute match,” Finidi said. “But I trust him, and I’ve spoken to him. He should be relaxed, calm down, and play his football.”
The coach also highlighted a near-miss moment when Elias came close to scoring late in the game, a chance Finidi felt could have crowned his stellar performance.
“I think today he would have scored a goal at the last moment, but he still wanted to square the ball, look for somebody,” Finidi added. “I’m quite happy with his performance, and we will keep encouraging him to do better. I am very, very pleased.”
Elias, a product of the Rivers United youth team that won the NPFL Youth League in 2024, has been gradually integrated into the first team under Finidi’s guidance. His performance on Wednesday is seen as a major step forward in his development and a sign of his growing confidence.
The youngster is now expected to retain his place in the squad as Rivers United travel to Aba this Sunday for a crucial NPFL clash against Enyimba.
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Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the President Federation Cup, GTI Group, have congratulated the football governing body on the successful hosting of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a press statement issued on Friday in Lagos, GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, lauded the NFF Board under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for the smooth conduct of the AGM and the significant progress made in Nigerian football development.
According to Ekejiuba, the Ibadan meeting reflected Gusau’s commitment to engaging stakeholders and strengthening unity across the football ecosystem.
“GTI Group congratulates the Nigeria Football Federation on the successful outcome of its Annual General Meeting held in Ibadan, which the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, used the occasion to demonstrate his commitment to engaging positively with football stakeholders, including state football associations, clubs and fans,” he said.
“His interactions with the various groups at the AGM showcased his impactful leadership and dedication to promoting Nigerian football and fostering a collaborative environment.”
Ekejiuba also highlighted the Super Falcons’ recent achievements and the growth of domestic competitions, particularly the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), as key milestones recorded under Gusau’s leadership. GTI serves as a strategic partner of the NPFL, supporting its structural and commercial transformation.
The statement further expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for their hospitality and support during the AGM. Ekejiuba noted the governor’s commendation of the improved standard of refereeing in the NPFL under the administration of Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye.
However, GTI also used the opportunity to express disappointment over the early exit of Kwara United and Abia Warriors from the CAF Confederation Cup, urging Nigerian clubs to raise their competitive standards on the continental stage.
“It is unfortunate that both Kwara United and Abia Warriors crashed out at the preliminary phase of the CAF Confederation Cup last weekend. This clearly shows that Nigerian clubs must raise their game in order to compete favourably,” the statement read.
“The future remains bright, but that is why GTI has been calling on Corporate Nigeria to invest more in our football, just as is done in thriving leagues across the world.”
Ekejiuba also extended words of encouragement to Remo Stars and Rivers United, who are still flying Nigeria’s flag in the CAF Champions League.
“We encourage them to dig deep and remain focused to ensure successful campaigns. They should give Nigerian football fans something to cheer this season because we understand how demanding continental competitions can be,” he concluded.
GTI Group reaffirmed its continued commitment to working closely with the NFF to advance football development, promote professionalism, and attract sustainable investment into the Nigerian game.
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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has queried Warri Wolves following reports of the suspension of their head coach, Aluma Napoleon, faulting the club’s failure to comply with established procedures for contracting and registering technical officials.
In a letter titled “Notarization and Registration of Contracts” and signed by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the league body directed the Delta-based club to regularize all contractual documentation with its technical and management staff in line with NPFL regulations.
The NPFL’s letter stated:
“Information reaching us from the media space suggests that the Delta State Sports Commission has suspended your head coach, Mr. Aluma Napoleon, with immediate effect.”
Citing Sections B, Articles 6 and 11 of the NPFL 2025/26 Framework and Rules, the league reminded Warri Wolves that all clubs are required to submit notarized contracts of their officials for registration and record purposes.
“You are, however, in breach of these sections as Warri Wolves FC have not submitted the contracts of its officials to the League Board. You are hereby requested, within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, to submit all relevant contracts of your technical team, including that of the assumed suspended head coach, Mr. Napoleon Aluma, to the NPFL Secretariat,” the letter warned.
The NPFL further cautioned that failure to comply could lead to sanctions, including restricting Warri Wolves’ technical crew from accessing the bench in subsequent league matches.
“Note that failure to comply with this instruction will lead to the restriction of your technical team from accessing the technical area in future NPFL matches,” the league stated.
In a related statement to NPFL Media, COO Davidson Owumi stressed that the Warri Wolves case was not isolated, adding that all clubs yet to register the contracts of their technical officials must do so without delay.
“I must admonish all coaches to get hold of their contracts and lodge a report with the NPFL when there is a violation of the terms. It is the responsibility of the aggrieved to petition the league at all times,” Owumi emphasized.
The NPFL has been tightening administrative controls in recent seasons to ensure transparency, professionalism, and adherence to contractual obligations across all participating clubs.
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