Poor quality of the pitch at Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna has been forwarded as the major reason why Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have dropped the arena from hosting next month’s Afirca Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles and Mediterranian Knights of Libya.
In what has beenn labelled a rcurrent case of poor maintenaince culture in Nigeria’s soccer sector, footballlive.ng gathered that the NFF are now seeking a new venue to host the Eagles’ October 12 first leg of the double-fixture qualifier against Libya.
In contrast with the NFF’s inital insistence of having the first leg against Libya hold in The Liberal Northern City, top shots at The Glasshouse are now talking quite differently, following latest checks at ABS, where the playing surface is said to be a in bad state.
The NFF had earlier written to Confederation of African Football (CAF) to moved the game to Saturday, October 13 instead of October 12, due to fears of overcrowding and logistics considerations.
While CAF refused that requrst, the NFF are now bound to instead shift the game to Uyo, which hosted Eagles’ Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers last year.
Sources at the NFF revealed that facilities at Ahmadu Bello Stadium in The City of Crocodiles failed to meet basic requirements for hosting a game of such magnitude.
A criedible source explained: “The Ahmadu Bello Stadium is in need of repairs and the state of the pitch, which was near perfect when Gernot Rohr visited last month, has deteriorated to a level not fit enough for a game of such magnitude.
“So, the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State has been forwarded to both CAF and Libyan FA as the new venue of the match on October 12.
“Akwa Ibom State has successfully repaired the pitch, which was damaged during one of the political events of the Akwa Ibom State Governor.”
