The Football Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has endorsed the final table of the Nigeria Professional Football League for the 2019/2020 season as prepared and released by the League Management Company.
The decision was taken at a virtual meeting held at the instance of the President of the NFF, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, to deliberate on all the issues arising from the forced ending to the season by COVID-19.
On the agreement reached by all stakeholders to use the Points-Per-Game to determine the final table and the subsequent petition by Rivers United FC, the Committee unanimously recommended that the NFF Executive Committee endorses the LMC decision and the Final Table for the 2019/2020 season in line with the NFF Statutes.
It also charged the LMC to work out its calendar to ensure that very minimal number of matches are postponed for Clubs taking part in continental competitions.
As part of its consultations on the matter, the NFF reached out to both continental-governing body, CAF, and world-governing body, FIFA, whose responses affirmed the position of the NFF Football Committee.
The said meeting of the NFF Football Committee reviewed the following: “The process followed by the LMC from May 2020 when the NFF approved the decision to end the NPFL 2019/2020 season at Match day 25 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, to July 2020 when it approved the NPFL table based on the PPG system with the top three teams to represent Nigeria in the 2020/2021 CAF Inter-Clubs Competitions.
“The relevant provisions of the NPFL Rule Book that the LMC relied upon to end the season and adopt the PPG.
“The Petition from Rivers Utd proposing for the LMC to use the Goal difference to break the tie.
“The LMC’s response to Rivers Utd Petition seeking to clarify the issues and stating the basis of its decision.”