Akwa United yet to pay owed player despite FIFA warning

Reigning Federation Cup champions, Akwa United Football Club, are still owing one of their players, Meshack Chukwubuikem, and his agent, Ojore Oka, N2.5 million.
The former Enugu Rangers and Enyimba forward underwent a successful loan spell with Akwa United during the 2012/13 campaign, before he left the Uyo-based club.
In February 2016, world football governing body, FIFA, had fired a note of warning to Promise Keepers, ordering the Nigeria Professional Football League outfit to pay off Meshack and his agent, or face the hammers.
The World football governing body, had earlier instructed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to open disciplinary proceedings against Akwa United over the non-payment of agency fees agreed with the FIFA-licensed agent of their former player Chukwubuikem and sent a final verdict.
FIFA stated that the club is in violation of art. 64 of the FIFA disciplinary code.
FIFA’s ruling in part reads: “The club Akwa United are granted a final period of grace of 30 days as from notification of the present decision in which to settle its debt to the creditor, the players.
“If the payment is not made by this deadline, the creditor may demand in writing from the secretariat to the FIFA disciplinary committee that three (3) points be deducted from the debtor’s first team in the domestic league championship. Once the creditor has filed this request, the points will be deducted automatically without a further formal decision having to be taken by the FIFA disciplinary committee.
“The order to implement the points deducted will be issued on the association concerned by the secretariat to the FIFA disciplinary committee.
“If the club Akwa United still fails to pay the amount due even after deduction of the points in accordance, the FIFA disciplinary committee with decided on a possible relegation of the debtor’s first team to the next lower division.”
The representatives of Meshack aren’t happy with the “hide and seek” game played by Akwa United.
They are expected to take necessary steps in the coming days.