The
Management of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia has condemned in strong
terms reports making their rounds in the media that one of their star players,
Henry Ochuba, has been red-carded in this year’s Nigeria Professional Football
League.
In a
statement, the General Coordinator of the team, Hon Godson Eluwa said the
report is not only misleading but also mischievous as Ochuba has never been
issued with a red card in the seven-week-old campaign.
According to
Hon Eluwa, Ochuba, has started two games for Abia Warriors this season against
El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri in Umuahia and against Heartland FC in Owerri
while coming in as a substitute against Ikorodu United in Lagos and was an
unused substitute against Enugu Rangers International in Umuahia.
The
mid-fielder, according to him, was not fielded in the home match against Kano
Pillars in Owerri and Plateau United in Jos.
Hon. Eluwa
revealed that of all the four matches Ochuba featured for Abia Warriors, he
only received one yellow card, against El-Kanemi Warriors in Umuahia and
wondered where the red card saga is coming from.
“May be
Henry is being mistaken for El-Kanemi’s Aghoha Utakho who was sent off by the
Centre Referee Ogabor Joseph Odey in the first half of their match with Abia
Warriors in Umuahia. Henry was yellow-carded in the 28th minute in the match
while Utakho was sent off in the 33rd minute, may be some newsmen
may have mistaken Henry for Utakho”, Hon. Eluwa further clarified.
The Abia
Warriors General Coordinator said the report has constituted a serious
embarrassment to the player and the club and wished newsmen could cross check
their facts from the appropriate quarters before dishing them out to the public
for consumption especially as the league Management Company, has not stated
anywhere that Ochuba was sent off in any match this season.
Hon. Eluwa
said Abia Warriors has only received one red card this season when their
captain Austin Obaraokpo was sent off in the away match with Plateau United in
Jos.
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