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The Nigerian champions will play their home games in the CAF Confederations Cup at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, rather than their Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.
In a series of allegations and counter-allegations, Rivers United have hit back at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over comments made by the NFF President about its Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.
CAF had in January, announced that Nigeria's sole representative on the continent will play their home continental matches at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, 158.0 km away from their home ground, in Port Harcourt.
According to CAF, the 38000-seater in Port Harcourt had fallen short of the organizations' requirements to host group stage games, despite having hosted Rivers United's preliminary games.
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Rivers United issues strong-worded statement against the NFF
In a statement issued by the team on Sunday, Rivers United accused members of the NFF, including the NFF president Ibrahim Gusau, of thwarting their attempts to hold their Confederations Cup home matches in Port Harcourt.
“The Confederation of African Football (CAF) wrote to the NFF via an email dated December 15, 2022, to, between the 23rd and 27th of December 2022, carry out a routine inspection of the football pitch of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt (home ground of Rivers United FC) ahead of the group stages of the CAF Confederation Cup," the club statement started.
“The correspondence from CAF also requested for an alternate venue to be named by Rivers United FC. This is standard procedure for clubs participating in Inter CAF club competitions.
"Accordingly, the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo was named by Rivers United FC as an alternate venue.
“On January 5, 2023, CAF, as a result of the failure of the NFF to provide any kind of response to its earlier correspondence, wrote again to the NFF stating that Rivers United FC had no venue to play its group stage matches,” the statement explained.
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Rivers United went on to claim that CAF had ordered them to play at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja, which triggered a response from the NFF.
“It was at this point that Nasiru Jibrin the facility officer of the NFF now contacted Rivers United giving the excuse that he too was not informed of the letter even when he was copied by CAF in the original email,” the club went further.
“Jubrin then informed Rivers United FC that he would contact CAF, putting forward excuses which he claimed would allow the African Football Confederation to give a waiver to gain time to enable him to carry out a supplementary inspection of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium thus raising suspicion to CAF on Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium as expressed by CAF earlier that Rivers United FC has no Stadium ready to play CAF matches.
“He then asked Rivers United to take photos of the Stadium and pitch and forward them to him as he was, at the time, in Algeria for duties related to the African Football Championships (CHAN).
“A few days later, the NFF sent Aliyu Ibrahim (Ali Cairo) to Port Harcourt and conducted another inspection of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, and, subsequently, the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
"On further enquiry, we were very reliably informed that Ali sent the photos he took at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt to Jibrin who wrote a damning report of the facility in Port Harcourt.
“CAF based on the delay, suspiciously and duly acted on Jubrin’s report and Rivers United was then ordered to play its group stage games of the 2022-23 CAF Confederation Cup at the alternate venue earlier picked – the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo," the club stated.
Rivers United to start campaign February 12
The Nigerian champions are drawn in Group B of the competition along with Cote d'Ivoire's ASEC Mimosa, Congo’s Diables Noirs and DC Motema Pembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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They will start their group stage campaign with a trip to Diables Noirs on February 12, before returning to Nigeria to host ASEC Mimosa in their first home match, seven days later.
They will play DR Congo's DC Motema Pembe in a doubleheader on February 26 and March 8.
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