Rivers State sports commissioner Chris Green has singled out the Nigerian Football Federation for rejecting the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt to host Rivers United’s group stage matches in the CAF Confederation Cup , reports the source Tidesports.
Less than a month into the club’s campaign on the mainland, reports last week went viral that the NPFL champions had adopted the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, for their home matches, suggesting that the Port Harcourt stadium did not meet the requirements of the Confederation of African Football.
Having played their preliminary games at the stadium, the club shared updates on improvements to the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, but in the wake of the latest development, Green claimed that the NFF failed to show up for the facility inspection.
“The NFF is in a better position to respond. Yes, we did improve (the stadium), but the NFF officials were supposed to inspect it, but they didn’t come,” Green told the Tidesports source.
NFF Secretary General Mohammed Sanusi declined to comment on the issue, saying: “I can’t be discussing issues like this in the media, but the NFF has done its job.”
According to the schedules released by CAF, Rivers United will begin their campaign on February 12 against ASEC Mimosas away from home, before playing their first home game against the same rival on February 19.
The fixtures also revealed that further home games against DC Motema Pembe and Diables Noirs will be played on March 8 and 19 respectively in Uyo.
Godswill Akpabio International Stadium hosted last season’s CAF Confederation Cup final match between RSB Berkane and Orlando Pirates.