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By Abiodun Adewale.
Players and staff of Nigerian Premier Football League club, Wikki Tourists, have expressed their displeasure over the club’s poor welfare, The PUNCH reports.
Wikki Tourists is currently ninth in Group B of the NPFL standing after six games recording four points from a possible 18. Their first win of the season was a 1-0 win over Enugu Rangers last Sunday.
Our correspondent gathered that the team doctor, some board members as well as three club drivers resigned from their various post at the club while players are groaning over irregular payment of salaries.
One of the players who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity admitted that the internal problems have been affecting the team’s performance this season stating that ‘Wikki is weak’.
“The welfare of players is very poor at the club, our contract is always breached monthly,” the player told The PUNCH.
“Even now, we are been being short paid. The club management just pay anything they like every month. They don’t pay us the salary stipulated in the contract we signed.
Another player who also spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that the team had been traveling for away games with a bus with bad brakes.
“All the away games we have played, none was a smooth sail because our bus has not been in good condition.
“And the officials know this. There was a time it broke down in the bush in the middle of the night.
“The most dangerous thing is we still travel without in the bus without effective brakes. That was part of the reason the doctor said he won’t travel with us again,” the player revealed.
However, team doctor Umar Abubakar declined comments when he was contacted by our correspondent.
“I don’t want to comment on this for now because it is personal. When I am ready to talk, I will let you know, I am just waiting for something,” he said.
Former coach of Wikki Tourists, Kabiru Dogo who resigned his appointment before their match-day six defeat to Rivers United also told The PUNCH that his decision to leave had nothing to do with the fear of the club sacking him over their poor run in the league.
The former Sunshine Stars and Lobi Stars handler left the job after seeing the club struggle into the 2022/23 NPFL season, picking only one point in their opening four games of season.
Following their goalless draw against Doma United at home on match-day five, the management of the club announced a two-game ultimatum for Dogo and his technical crew to turn the fortunes of the club around, a decision the gaffer said was not communicated to him.
“We are professionals and there are procedures for everything. As they are claiming they gave me an ultimatum, as I speak, nobody gave me a letter or communicated to me verbally. When I signed for them, I didn’t sign on social media,” Dogo told our correspondent.
“Aside from ultimatum or no ultimatum, there are lots of issues to talk about which they know that I am not the problem of their team.
“It is easy for people to think I resigned over the ultimatum, but even when you give me an ultimatum, I am not supposed to sit at home and carry out my job to prove myself now. So, it looked like they had their agenda and I just left their job for them,” Dogo added.