The Benue State House of Assembly has directed Lobi Stars Football Club to sack its technical crew if the team fails to win their next three matches in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The directive was issued during a plenary session on Thursday, with Terkimbi Ikyange, the state’s commissioner for sports, and the management of the club present.
The team, owned and funded by the Benue government, has been struggling in the NPFL, currently sitting at the bottom of the league table with only three wins from their first 11 games.
The club’s technical crew is led by former Super Eagles player Daniel Amokachi, who serves as the technical adviser, and Mika Lönnström, a Finnish coach, as the head coach. Despite their experience, the team’s performance has been below expectations.
During the plenary, Douglas Akya, a member of the Benue House of Assembly, accused the club’s management of working at cross purposes and failing to support the team’s success.
In response, Philip Nongo, the board chairman of Lobi Stars, blamed the team’s poor form on logistical challenges, including playing home games at a neutral ground and the wrong recruitment of players.
Nongo explained that the club had requested to change its home base to Bauchi, but the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) rejected the request due to the lack of a suitable pitch in the state.
He also pointed to the improper recruitment of players as a major factor in the club’s disappointing results.
“We are working to inject new players into the team in January, which we hope will improve the club’s performance,” Nongo said.
In his ruling, Speaker Hyacinth Dajo stated that the technical crew must deliver improved results within the next three matches or face dismissal.
The decision signals a critical period for Lobi Stars, as they work to turn around their form and avoid further scrutiny from the Benue State House of Assembly.
The pressure is now on Amokachi and Lönnström to deliver, with the clock ticking toward the crucial set of matches.