George Aluo, Chairman of the Nigerian National League (NNL) board has stated that it is okay for relegated teams to buy slots in order to remain in the NPFL, provided that the buyer can afford the price and the team that owns the promotion slot is willing to sell.
The NNL chief who asserted that the practice creates excitement for the game made this statement on Wednesday June 18 in Ibadan while answering questions on a radio sports show, 105.3 FM, hosted by Babatunde Saheed fondly called “Mr. Sport” by admirers stated that it was important all established guidelines and requirements were fulfilled.
Aluo noted that a team that purchases a slot from a recently promoted club must stay in the same conference, adding that a team from the northern half of the nation, which is considered to be the northern conference, cannot purchase a slot from the southern conference unless it is prepared to relocate.
The question according to Mr. Sport seems to be drawn from two government-owned clubs, Lobi Stars of Markurdi and Heartland of Owerri, recently relegated from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), that are reportedly doing everything possible to secure an immediate return to the top flight by attempting to purchase promotion slots from teams that qualify via the Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 8 tournament.
Heartland of Owerri, for example, was previously relegated from the top flight in the 2023-2024 NPFL season, but they were controversially reinstated into the NPFL for the 2024-2025 season after the league body disqualified Beyond Limits Football Academy’s promotion due to rules concerning dual ownership.
Beyond Limits was deemed to have an affiliation with Remo Stars FC, which is already in the NPFL, violating the NPFL operation rules and regulations
