AFTER spending four years in the lower Nigerian National League (NNL), Warri Wolves, Friday, joined Wikki Tourists of Bauchi in returning to the elite Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL).
Also promoted to the NPFL are Kun Khalifa FC of Owerri, and Barau FC of Kano, which will be playing in the elite league for the first time.
At the NNL Super Eight playoff, which ended in Delta State, yesterday, Warri Wolves beat Crown FC 2-1 at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.
The Warri side had earlier lost their Group A opening game 1-0 to Osun United before coming back to beat Kun Khalifat 3-0 in their second game. Y
Thursday’s defeat of Crown FC put them on top of the group with six points.
Kun Khalifat, led by former Super Eagles defender, Mobi Oparaku, also ended with six points after beating Crown FC 1-0 in their opening game, losing 3-0 to Warri Wolves, and defeating Osun United 2-1, Thursday.
In Group A, Wikki Tourists defeated Yobe Golden Stars 4-0 to seal their return to the elite division following their earlier drawn games with Doma United and Barau FC.
Excited by Warri Wolves’ victory, the Chairman of the Delta Sports Commission, Onoriode Oborevwori, said: “Today will go down as one of my happiest days.
“When I assumed office, one of the biggest challenges I had was how to bring the Warri Wolves from the lower division to the elite league. I thank our governor for his moral and financial support for the club.
“I have read some social media reports that the Warri Wolves FC is poorly funded. Today, that same team is in the top flight of Nigerian football. As an administrator, it is not every rubbish thrown at you that you respond to.
“Even amid criticism by a few individuals, we remain focused on delivering what our people wanted. I thank players and officials of Warri Wolves for this promotion ticket,” Oborevwori stated.
