The General Manager of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC of Ilorin, Alloy Chukwuemeka, on Tuesday described the relegation of the team to the Nigeria National League as “sad and disastrous”.
Chukwuemeka told the News Agency of Nigeria in Ilorin that it was bad for “a purely professional side like ABS, that plays the best brand of football in the league, to be relegated.
“I will say we were victims of ‘environmental factors’, coupled with competing against 99 per cent government-owned ‘millionaire’ clubs.
“We have taken it in good faith and we hope for a better future for Nigeria football.
“We did our best to change the face of the league in our three seasons in the Glo Premier League, coming from a private sector background.”
Chukwuemeka said that he met with the players, technical crew, officials and fans of the club on Tuesday, to review the season and chart a way forward.
According to him, the stakeholders have agreed that a comprehensive report be forwarded to the proprietor, Senator Bukola Saraki, before any line of action could be taken.
Chukwuemeka said that the club members have been granted a two weeks break to wait for the outcome of the report before decisions could be reached.
NAN reports that ABS lost its last game of the season to Warri Wolves, 0-1, to confirm their relegation.
They finished 18th on the log, with 50 points behind their city-rivals, Kwara United, which finished in the 17th position.
ABS was one of the two privately-owned clubs in the league, with the other being Nembe City that survived relegation on the last day of the season with a 2-0 spanking of Sunshine Stars of Akure.
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