The Deputy Governor of Edo state Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu has charged the management and players of Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin to begin work now ahead of next year’s Nigeria National League (NNL) in order to succeed in their quest to gain promotion to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL ).
The deputy Governor gave the charge when he officially received members of Bendel Insurance FC team Monday in Government House, Benin after their Super 8 battle in Enugu.
Insurance FC returned from Enugu on Sunday evening after finishing third in the Group B of the Nigeria National League Super 8 tournament which ended Sunday afternoon.
The Benin Arsenal lost their first game 2-1 to Shooting Stars FC; posted 1-1 and 2-2 draws with Ekiti Utd and Remo Stars respectively to garner two points from three games which were not enough to secure promotion to NPFL.
Comrade Shaibu who doubles as the Chairman of Bendel Insurance FC declared that he will not disband team, nor sack the technical crew of Insurance FC. He said that the club will be more encouraged to succeed.
He made it clear that he will not bribe anybody to get promotion for Insurance but will encourage hard work and discipline instead.
Responding on behalf of the team, the Technical Director and head of the Insurance coaching crew Monday Odigie expressed appreciation to the Deputy Governor saying that the number two man in Edo state surprised him with his kind words of encouragement.
Coach Odigie said he expected the Deputy Governor to be hard on the team over their inability to get the desired result.
“I have not really seen this kind of situation whereby a team that represented a state and failed to deliver is accorded theis kind of warm reception by government. This is uncommon and I want to say that we owe the state alot.#
