Aiteo Confirms Payment of N500m FA Cup Money To NFF

Aiteo Confirms Payment of N500m FA Cup Money To NFF

By Niyi Busari

BSN Sports understands that Aiteo Group has paid all financial obligations for the sponsorship deal of the 2019 Aiteo FA Cup to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

There have been rumours that the Aiteo Group has failed to pay the Nigeria Football Federation the sponsorship money for the 2019 FA competition but the company has come out to clear the air and confirmed the payment to the federation.

Group Head, Media Operations, Aiteo Group, Ndiana Abasi confirmed that the company has fulfilled all the financial obligations regarding payment for the sponsorship of the 2019 Aiteo FA Cup competition, saying they are not owing anyone any money.

Till the moment of writing this report, the organiser of the annual national competition, the Nigeria Football Federation has not paid the 2019 finalists, Kano Pillars and Niger Tornadoes their cash prizes.

Mr Ndiana while speaking with Sports at 5 with Udeme George & Dgang in Abuja confirmed that Aiteo Group paid the cash prizes to the Nigeria Football Federation through the third party, Financial Derivative.

In his words, "When Aiteo signed the sponsorship contract with the NFF, we do not want any integrity issue. So, we signed with the 'Third party' called Financial Derivative which is owned by Bismark Rewane, one of the current Economic Adviser to the President, and we pay the company and the company paid the NFF."

"So, Aiteo is not owing anyone for Aiteo Cup obligation."

Further investigation revealed that Aiteo Group sponsorship deal with the NFF for FA Cup in 2019 is Five hundred million naira (N500,000,000).

Kano Pillars on Sunday 28th July, 2019 defeated Niger Tornadoes on penalties in the last year's Aiteo Cup final played at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.

The runners up (Niger Tornadoes) are supposed to be paid Ten Million naira (N10,000,000) while Kano Pillars, the champions are entitled to Twenty million naira (N25,000,000) .

Information from the camp of both teams revealed that both teams are yet to receive their entitlements eight months after the championship ended.