Kano Pillars have won the 2012 Nigeria Premier League after Ocean Boys were expelled from the Nigerian Premier League for falling foul of regulations.

The Bayelsa-based club failed to honour four league fixtures, three of those consecutively.

NPL regulations stipulate expulsion for any club which misses two consecutive matches. This is in addition to having all their previous results expunged.

Following a meeting of the NPL Executive Committee on Wednesday in Abuja, a decision was taken to expel the club.

"Ocean Boys FC stands expelled and its matches played and unplayed cancelled," a statement from the NPL read.

The decision means Kano Pillars cannot be overhauled at the top of the table with one round of matches to play.

Pillars lost once away to Ocean Boys while title rivals Enugu Rangers and Lobi Stars beat them over two legs.

It means with Ocean Boys' results cancelled, Pillars lose 3 points, while Rangers and Lobi lose 6 points.

Three journalists, Colin Udoh of KickOffNigeria, Toyin Ibitoye of Sunrise Sports and Bode Oguntuyi of SportVision Nigeria, had threatened to take the NPL to court if the rules were not applied within 48 hours.

http://www.kickoff.com/news/30226/kano-pillars-have-won-the-2012-nigeria-premier-league-

Congratulations!!!

Pillars to end season in style

Champions-elect Kano Pillars have promised to play their last game of the season at Sunshine Stars on Friday with total commitment.

This was disclosed to MTNFootball.com by Pillars coach Mohammed Baba Ganaru.

He said he will present his best team against Sunshine stars and that they will give their best as they have done in previous games even though they have been crowned champions following the ruling on Ocean Boys.

“It is true that we have won the league no matter the outcome of the game against Sunshine Stars, but we are not looking it that way, we are approaching the game with all seriousness,” he assured.

“We will go into the game as if we have not won the league. I am presenting the best team for the match, so it should be an interesting and explosive game.”

Pillars will be missing Eagles defender Papa Idris, who is injured, while Gabriel Rueben and Umar Zango are with the national team for the AFCON qualifier in Liberia.

Youth international midfielder Shehu Abdullahi has been released by the Flying Eagles to be part of the victory party in Ijebu-Ode.

Also, the club’s top scorer with 15 goals Gambo Mohammed has rejoined the team from Turkey and will face Sunshine Stars.

Gambo has been in Turkey on trials but in the end he did not secure a contract with either Samsunspor or Adana Demirspor.

“Gambo is back with us, he came back from Turkey yesterday night (Wednesday) and we picked him at the airport in Lagos yesterday night. He is here with us for the game,” Ganaru disclosed.

Pillars beat Sunshine by the odd goal in the reverse fixture in Kano.

How much are they paying this guys. They look so local to me. Check out South African league, Egyptian league and the rest of them

Nice game my boys, keep it up, hope u will as well lead other african countries, congratulations, SAI MASU GIDAAAAAA.....

I had hoped that Enugu Rangers would win the NPL this year after over 25 years of Trophyless existence.

wow! so the NPL is still alive? who would have thunk it?!

Up Fillars

This is a classic example of the annoying habits of Nigerians. "Only in Niaja" style!. I understand Kano pillars, Rangers and Lobi stars all have a shot at the title, with the final round of matches today. They are all on equal points. Rangers can win at home today and expect sunshine stars to defeat Kano pillars at Akure while Lobi also has a difficult away game. But no, in the Nigerian style, Lobi and Rangers had to lose 6 points to Kano Pillar's 3 and a league title of one year's team effort is awarded inside an oval office. Why must the result involving Ocean boys be cancelled? why not simply expel them?? If this title is copied to the EPL, Man U could have won the title last year if they conspired with Everton to arrange an Everton expulsion.

Only in Naija!

Nice guys! Keep d record up!
I'm so happy i'm bak 4rm nairaland ban!
I promise nt 2 mention cassava flakes here again!

SAI MASU GIDA.

how did dis bulshit make front page.oga seun no ban me oh i just like to speak my mind

executinal: How much are they paying this guys. They look so local to me. Check out South African league, Egyptian league and the rest of them

I s that what we are discussing here now , always complaining, "check out south african and Egyptian league", do you ever think that Nigeria is in the same class of those 2. most always say something. They look so local and how do you look. same old messed up ideaology, even a white man that lives in Nigeria looks different

Nice 1 pillars

THESE GUYS ARE OLD MEN. LOOK AT THEIR SKINS. NO WONDER WE DO NOT PRODUCE GOOD PLAYERS FROM THE LEAQUE

Naija, I hail! That is all I can say,if this is really true.
Others play and win matches on the pitch to win Leagues,in other countries. But Here the league winner has to be decided on a board room table and/or court room. Wonderful.
I managed to watch some of these matches live at the stadium. But if this how it is all going to end, then I don't really know.

executinal: How much are they paying this guys. They look so local to me. Check out South African league, Egyptian league and the rest of them

Bros u don forget say na 9ja u dey?

dancewith: This is a classic example of the annoying habits of Nigerians. "Only in Niaja" style!. I understand Kano pillars, Rangers and Lobi stars all have a shot at the title, with the final round of matches today. They are all on equal points. Rangers can win at home today and expect sunshine stars to defeat Kano pillars at Akure while Lobi also has a difficult away game. But no, in the Nigerian style, Lobi and Rangers had to lose 6 points to Kano Pillar's 3 and a league title of one year's team effort is awarded inside an oval office. Why must the result involving Ocean boys be cancelled? why not simply expel them?? If this title is copied to the EPL, Man U could have won the title last year if they conspired with Everton to arrange an Everton expulsion.

Only in Naija!

I thought the madness of Nigeria has not reached the soccer decorum. Even if a team is disqualified for infraction, the results of the already played matches remain the same.

dhappyking: Naija, I hail! That is all I can say,if this is really true.
Others play and win matches on the pitch to win Leagues,in other countries. But Here the league winner has to be decided on a board room table and/or court room. Wonderful.
I managed to watch some of these matches live at the stadium. But if this how it is all going to end, then I don't really know.

sick league...mtchewwww

Very sad. I'm disappointed with Ibitoye and Collin Udoh for supporting this rubbish. Why should the league start on the pitch and end in the boardroom? Why should rangers and lobi loose valuable 6 points and any hopes of winning the league because of ocean boys expulsion. I thought we were trying to develop this league. Surely not with these obnoxious rules.

Big Congrats my Brothers!

Yeye league. Zambian league even looks more appealing to watch.

dancewith: This is a classic example of the annoying habits of Nigerians. "Only in Niaja" style!. I understand Kano pillars, Rangers and Lobi stars all have a shot at the title, with the final round of matches today. They are all on equal points. Rangers can win at home today and expect sunshine stars to defeat Kano pillars at Akure while Lobi also has a difficult away game. But no, in the Nigerian style, Lobi and Rangers had to lose 6 points to Kano Pillar's 3 and a league title of one year's team effort is awarded inside an oval office. Why must the result involving Ocean boys be cancelled? why not simply expel them?? If this title is copied to the EPL, Man U could have won the title last year if they conspired with Everton to arrange an Everton expulsion.

Only in Naija!

Im guessing if this was a Dolphin, Rangers etc it would be fine by you,

This is actually the rule signed by all the teams, funny how the teams involved are not protesting as they knew the rules they signed up to, THANK GOODNESS OCEAN BOYS ARENT A NORTHERNER TEAM I BET SOME PEOPLE WILL JUMP TO CONCLUDE A NORTHERN CONSPRIRACY

AND THANK GOODNESS THE NPL CHAIRMAN IS ALSO A SOUTHERNER

so the beer parlour theorist can keep searching for their story

Kano Pillars was already at the top with 1 point ahead of Lobi. It is justice served, nothing wrong.

What if pillars win today's match? Will you still say it is manipulated?

Interesting remarks from my "southern abokis friends".

Congratulations to our darling team Kano Pillars!!!

@those complaining, just so u know, d NPL has a set of laid down rules guiding it. If a club fails to honour 2 consecutive games, they shal b expelled, and the results of their games, both played and unplayed, shall b canceled! Is it that difficult to understand?? They didnt make d rule ystday just to award d title to Pillars.

Dede1:


I thought the madness of Nigeria has not reached the soccer decorum. Even if a team is disqualified for infraction, the results of the already played matches remain the same.

According to the rules, If a team fails to honour two games, they are expelled from the league and all points gained/lost are thrown out. Keeping the points is against the rules all the clubs signed for and in theory unfair.

Machini: @those complaining, just so u know, d NPL has a set of laid down rules guiding it. If a club fails to honour 2 consecutive games, they shal b expelled, and the results of their games, both played and unplayed, shall b canceled! Is it that difficult to understand?? They didnt make d rule ystday just to award d title to Pillars.

I dont think the complain is about who benefits from the law but about the law itself. The law is absurd and obnoxious, the results of matches already played by Ocean Boys should not be affected as the opposing teams put so much into those games, time, money and the risk involved in travelling on Nigerian roads. Consider how Portsmouth and Glasgow Rangers were treated by the EPL AND SPL albeit for different reasons. The results of their already played matches were allowed to stand while they were demoted. That law should be changed, it is stupid and senseless.

no pix of them and the trophy?

philip0906: no pix of them and the trophy?

the last game is today

kutchs: I dont think the complain is about who benefits from the law but about the law itself. The law is absurd and obnoxious, the results of matches already played by Ocean Boys should not be affected as the opposing teams put so much into those games, time, money and the risk involved in travelling on Nigerian roads. Consider how Portsmouth and Glasgow Rangers were treated by the EPL AND SPL albeit for different reasons. The results of their already played matches were allowed to stand while they were demoted. That law should be changed, it is stupid and senseless.

Wrong postulations. Those terms were relegated for going into adminstration. Is is fair for rangers or Lobi to win with walk over three points and goals earned from ocean boys? No!