BY Remi Sulola
Ifeanyi Ubah, the billionaire owner of FC Ifeanyi Ubah, has been handed a 10-match ban from Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) venues following new video evidence from the incident that happened after the Match Day 8 fixture between his club and Heartland FC of Owerri.
Ubah was also fined N2.5million by the League Management Company (LMC).
“Following the review of new video evidence of the incident that occurred immediately after the Match Day 8 fixture in Nnewi between FC IfeanyiUbah and Heartland of Owerri, the League Management Company (LMC) has issued fresh charges against the Proprietor of FC IfeanyiUbah, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah and handed him a fine of N2, 500, 000 in addition to ten match ban from all Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) venues,” read a summary jurisdiction notice issued on Thursday afternoon.
Relying on the match commissioner’s report, which did not capture the incident, the LMC had charged Ubah for encroaching on the field of play only. But having received additional evidence that supported a case of assault on goalkeeper, Ebele Obi, fresh charges were drafted.
Ubah was then charged for breach of Rule C1 of the NPFL Rules and Framework for an offence of misconduct in that immediately after the match he encroached on the field of play and assaulted Obi while his personal security aides further assaulted the player.
For this, the LMC ruled in an exercise of summary jurisdiction to “suspend Chief Ubah from all NPFL match venues for the next ten matches”.
The club owner was also fined N2,500,000 and ordered to write a letter of apology and an undertaking to be a good ambassador of the NPFL henceforth.
Arising from the unrestrained behaviour of the personal security of Ubah, the LMC further ruled that club officials and guests to NPFL matches are prohibited from bringing self-procured security apparatus to match venues.
The last four of the 10-match ban are suspended for a probationary period expiring at the end of the 2015/16 season.
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