Ebonyi Government Secures New Professional Football Club After 10-Year Gap

The Ebonyi State Government has acquired a new professional football club to replace the disbanded Ebonyi State Angels Football Club, which was sold over a decade ago during the tenure of Governor Martin Elechi.Prince Richard Idike, the State Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, confirmed this development during a press briefing at Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium in Abakaliki.

He announced that the state’s Executive Council had approved the acquisition of a new team.According to Prince Idike, the government has purchased Coal City Football Club, a National League team, and renamed it Abakaliki Football Club.

The club is set to participate in the upcoming league season, which will start in a few weeks.The new football team will arrive in Ebonyi with fifteen players from the squad, and plans are underway to recruit a top-class coach to manage the team.

Prince Idike also mentioned that the club is conducting player screenings to bring in additional talent. The primary goal is to gain promotion to Nigeria’s top league, the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL).Alongside officials like Pius Nwankwo, the Governor’s Special Assistant on Sports Development, and the Director of Sports, Emmanuel Utobo, Prince Idike assured that renovation work on the stadium’s pitch is being prioritized.

He expressed gratitude to the Governor for establishing the new club and pledged full dedication to the upcoming challenges.