Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has congratulated all the players, technical crew, management and staff including the fan club of Abia Warriors Football Club on their remarkable performance and achievement in the just concluded President Federation Cup decided in Lagos.
The team, the governor said made Abia State and Abians proud in this year’s edition of the President Federation Cup and demonstrated tremendous improvement from their performance and records in the past editions.
Dr. Otti commended the team for breaking the jinx and reaching the finals of the competition for the first time.
He encouraged them to use the experience as fuel for their next challenge and reminded them that every champion was once a runner-up who refused to give up.
The Governor appreciated and thanked Abians for supporting and cheering the team to outperform other teams till the finals of the competition.
He urged them to keep hope alive ‘as our dear warriors prepare to lift the trophy in the next edition’.

Lagos and Oyo States were big winners at the 3rd edition of Cycling Lagos, an initiative organised by BrandEscort Communications in collaboration with the Lagos State Sports Commission and the Lagos State Cycling Association.
The competition themed ‘Sustainable Healthcare’ was kicked off by the Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor on Grassroots Sports Development, Adebanji Atewogboye, in a celebrity race that started from Teslim Balogun Stadium and proceeded along Alhaji Marshal Road and back to the stadium.
Atewogboye emphasised that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration is committed to providing a solid platform for athletes in the state to succeed, saying, “The event is fantastic for the young athletes participating, and our focus is on partnering with and promoting talented athletes from the grassroots. We appreciate the organisers, Cycling Lagos.”
The event, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy Fit3 and supported by Stanbic IBTC Bank, Cway, Nutrify, Nestle Nigeria Plc, McVitie’s, ADVAN, and NNPC, saw Lagos State pro cyclist Tijani Quwam emerge as the winner in the male category after riding for 56 minutes, 29 seconds.
Agbo Francis from Ogun State came in second with 56 minutes, 34.24 seconds. Moshood Garuba, also from Ogun State, came in 3rd after riding for 56 minutes, 34.24 seconds.
In the professional female race, Lagos State’s Patricia Nunachi came in first after racing for 56 minutes, 38.44 seconds, while Angulum Doris from Lagos came in second with a time of 58 minutes, 22.58 seconds. Kate Oyewole, also from Lagos, finished third with a time of 58 minutes, 28.47 seconds.
celebrity race that started from Teslim Balogun Stadium and proceeded along Alhaji Marshal Road and back to the stadium.
Atewogboye emphasised that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration is committed to providing a solid platform for athletes in the state to succeed, saying, “The event is fantastic for the young athletes participating, and our focus is on partnering with and promoting talented athletes from the grassroots. We appreciate the organisers, Cycling Lagos.”
The event, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy Fit3 and supported by Stanbic IBTC Bank, Cway, Nutrify, Nestle Nigeria Plc, McVitie’s, ADVAN, and NNPC, saw Lagos State pro cyclist Tijani Quwam emerge as the winner in the male category after riding for 56 minutes, 29 seconds.
Agbo Francis from Ogun State came in second with 56 minutes, 34.24 seconds. Moshood Garuba, also from Ogun State, came in 3rd after riding for 56 minutes, 34.24 seconds.
In the professional female race, Lagos State’s Patricia Nunachi came in first after racing for 56 minutes, 38.44 seconds, while Angulum Doris from Lagos came in second with a time of 58 minutes, 22.58 seconds. Kate Oyewole, also from Lagos, finished third with a time of 58 minutes, 28.47 seconds.
In the amateur male category, Isiaka Ibrahim from Lagos State came first after riding for 15 minutes, 22.11 seconds, followed by Ajibade Ibrahim from Oyo State in second with 15 minutes, 22.13 seconds, and Sagiru Ibrahim in third with 15 minutes, 28.08 seconds.
In the amateur female category, Olawale Peace from Oyo State was the winner after racing for 16 minutes, 48.88 seconds, while Lilian Odumegwu from Lagos came in second with a time of 16 minutes, 48.88 seconds, and Ejima Peter from Lagos State came in third with 17 minutes, 25.50 seconds.
The children’s demographic was not left out of the competition, with Mukadan Isiaq from Oyo State coming in first with a time of three minutes and 41.10 seconds in the U-15 male category, while Babatunde Ramadan from Lagos State came in second with three minutes and 41.11 seconds, and Emmanuel Unimna of Lagos State came in third with three minutes and 41.15 seconds.
In the U-15 female category, Aminu Olamiposi, from Oyo State, won with a time of three minutes and 46.22 seconds, followed by fellow Oyo indigenes Adeola Olabisi, second with three minutes and 47.12 seconds, and Mukadan Rodia, third with three minutes and 47.14 seconds.
The male U-10 category saw Akinola Destiny from Oyo State come in first with a time of two minutes and 35.22 seconds, while Emmanuel Popoola from Lagos came in second with a time of two minutes and 35.24 seconds, and Adesola Opeoluwa, also from Lagos, came in third with a time of two minutes and 35.25 seconds.
In the female U-10 category, Odebiyi Hikimat from Oyo State came in first with a time of two minutes and 36.25 seconds, while Aminu Olamiposi, also from Oyo State, came in second with a time of two minutes and 36.27 seconds, and Victoria Kalejaiye from Lagos came in third with a time of two minutes and 36.29
seconds.

The chances of the newly promoted Nigeria Premier Football League side and the feeders team of Remo Stars, Beyond Limits, playing in the Nigerian topflight  next season is hanging in the balance after their proprietor, Kunle Soname, hinted about the possible sale of their slot.
In their first season in the Nigeria National League, Beyond Limits secured promotion to the NPFL through the NNL Super 8 playoffs, where they finished top of the Southern Conference.
However, their slot was rumoured to be up for sale with some relegated NPFL clubs said to have bidded.
“Football for us is not social service, it’s business,” Soname told journalists during the President Federation Cup final in Lagos last Saturday.
“The management of Beyond Limits is already sitting together to see if they can cope with the challenges and rigours of the topflight as well as the financial and physical commitments.”
He added that the club was ready to play in the NPFL without infringing the league framework as a result of being the sister club of Remo Stars, if they finish their evaluation.
“If they think they are up to it, 100 per cent they will play. If they cannot, they will have to think of a way of monetising their laurel.”
Before now, their chances of playing in the league had become a subject of interest due to the NPFL’s framework on two or more clubs being owned by the same person
Clause 5.0 of the NPFL framework on club ownership says, “A person is not allowed to hold or acquire a significant interest in an NPFL club while holding a significant interest in another NPFL club.”
Media officer of Remo Stars, Dimeji Oshode, has said that both clubs are under different managements though owned by the same person.
Beyond Limits Academy enjoyed a successful 2023/24 season in the 2023/24, beating Nasarawa United to the NNL title. They also won the Viareggio Cup in Italy earlier this year, becoming the first African team to claim the title after defeating C.N Brazzaville from Congo 2-0 in the final.