By Bolaji Okunola
The founder of Mailantarki Care FC, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, has expressed dissatisfaction over a comment made by the erstwhile Gombe United general manager and now coordinator of the U-20 national team, Abubakar Abubakar, during an interview session on Amana Radio, Gombe State.
It was gathered that Abubakar, fondly called ‘Yellow’, on April 18, granted the interview in response to internal issues involving Mailantarki Care FC and Doma United.
During the session, he also accused Mailantarki of tendering a petition which resulted in the omission of Gombe-born defender, Haruna Aliyu, in the final list of the Under-20 national team bracing for the forthcoming African Youth Championship in Egypt.
The top-notch football administrator, via his media director, Adamu Usman Ahmed, described the statement a defamation capable of undermining the remarkable efforts of Hon Khamisu Mailantarki in football development in Gombe state and Nigerian football in general.
Usman Ahmed, in his rejoinder to address the accusation, urged the public to ignore Abubakar’s comment while tagging it a slanderous attempt.
The rejoinder reads: “Abubakar blatantly tabled false statements during the radio interview on an internal issue concerning Mailantarki Care FC and Doma United and the player Haruna Aliyu. As a matter of fact, he’s not worthy to talk about both clubs, for he’s never an official of any, nor was he a representative of the player in question (Haruna Aliyu), nor a spokesperson of the Under-20 national team.
“Most likely, the decision could be connected to the conflict of interest on the player’s part whom was ill-advised and misled by Abubakar yellow (according to the player) to signed another different contract with another manager despite having a binding pre-contract agreement with Mailantarki Care FC, a decision amount to a breach of contract, an act that can cause instability in the player’s psychological prowess as the shenanigans took place while he was in his final camping exercise ahead of the upcoming U-20 AFCON slated to kick start in few days.”
“In fact, during the partnership formalities of Haruna Aliyu between the two clubs in 2023, Abubakar was a coordinator at Gombe United, and until date, he has never been part of any of the two clubs regarding any partnership of whatsoever player hence he had no genuine information to disseminate in public domain.”
“We frowned at his desperation to attack our club president’s effort on football development and progress in Gombe State and Nigeria at large by directly linking the exclusion of the Gombe-born defender in the final list of the Flying Eagles ahead of the upcoming 2025 AFCON”
“To set the record straight, Hon Khamisu Mailantarki’s effort to elevate/promote Gombe State indigenes to the highest level of their respective football careers is still intact. He ensured an agreement was reached between the two clubs in his bid to secure the services of the player (Haruna Aliyu), who further facilitated his invitation for a trial and consequently amazed the technical crew of the then U-20 National team ahead of the 13th African Games under coach Ladan Bosso.”
“Gombe indigenes all know he never relents in his effort to make the state football a brand to be reckoned with. Thanks to the likes of Honourable Farouk Yarma, who provided an annual sports awards event (Prudential Sports Awards) for honouring outstanding sports individuals in the state, and of course, in its maiden event, Mailantarki was awarded for his immense contributions to grassroots football development in the state.”
“More so on the issue raised regarding Aminu Muhammed (Obi) and Ibrahim Yahaya, who Abubakar falsely claimed were maltreated by our principal which stand in contrast to the fact that both Aminu and Ibrahim were players of Mailantarki Care FC through a legitimate contractual agreement by their respective owners, and in the spirit of sportsmanship both players were allowed on free loan to continue playing for Gombe United considering their significant impacts towards the performance of the club in 2022/2023 season.”
“Both players are still rightful players of Mailantarki Care FC and are highly indebted with the show of great concern, commitment, and unending support towards their career development at various levels which includes successful outings with the National team U-20 at Niger Republic 2022 WAFU games in addition to a recent trial trip for Ibrahim Yahaya at Danish Super League club Aarhus Gymnastik Forening.”