The Kogi United FC on Saturday qualified for the semifinals of the Aiteo Federation Cup after walking over Kano Pillars absent from the match in what appeared to be a planned boycott.
The match was scheduled to hold at the Area 3 football pitch in Abuja, but Kano Pillars did not show up, with the referee forced to award victory to Kogi United after observing all walk-over procedures.
The no-show by Kano Pillars may not be unconnected with the protest by some Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs.
This was as a result of the nomination by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of Kwara United of Ilorin for the CAF Confederation Cup.
It was learnt that the slot was usually allotted to the winners of the Aiteo Federation Cup.
Kwara United, who placed fourth in the NPFL last season, were listed as the country’s second representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup.
But this must have come to be as the NFF sought to beat the deadline for submission of names of its club representatives to the Confederation of Africa (CAF).
With this result however, Kogi United have automatically qualified for the semi-finals of the competition and will now face Heartland FC of Owerri for a place in the final match.
