Bauchi – Bauchi football fans on Wednesday left the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in disappointment after Gashaka Buffaloes Football Club of Serti failed to honour their 2016 Federation Cup match.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match was between the team and Jigawa Golden Stars of Hadeija in the Round of 64 matches of the competition.
Hundreds of supporters, who had come from Jigawa and Bauchi States, left the stadium disappointed when it was announced that Gashaka Buffaloes would not be honouring the match.
The situation became wild when Poul Gambar, the Match Commissioner, finally called the game off at the expiration of the mandatory 15 minutes and announced that the game was over.
“The away team has failed to come and we have waited for the official time but to no avail. I therefore announce that the game had been played and won.
“Hosts Jigawa Golden Stars have therefore won the game,” Gambar announced.
Husseini Ibrahim, Secretary of Bauchi State Football Association, who represented the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) at the occasion, said there was no communication with the management of the away club.
“Up to the time of the match briefing this morning, I called the Secretary of Taraba State Football Association, who are the home FA of Gashaka Buffaloes, but he told me that he has not got in touch with the club.
“But the arrival of the away team is supposed to have been Tuesday. So, as it is, Jigawa Stars are here and have been declared the winners,” Ibrahim said.
Abdullahi Dutse, Chairman of Jigawa FA, on his part said “my team is here to win the match, but fortunately we have not wasted our energy but won.
“If you know the history of Jigawa team, we had in 1992 participated in WAFU Cup and other tournaments. Therefore, we are not afraid as we move to the next round of the competition.
“I am therefore calling on our supporters in Jigawa State to support and pray for us to enable us excel,’’ Abdullahi said.(NAN)
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