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Dear Lord,
I would like to respectfully draw the attention of the NLO Board of Directors to the venue chosen for the 2025/2026 South-South and South-East playoffs.
It was noted that the entire SS/SE playoff needed to take place *Aba, Abia State*. The concern is that one of the teams participating in the center is a team based in Abia. This gives that team an undue home advantage over other teams traveling from Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu, Anambra, Imo and Ebonyi.
At the same time, we note that in other centers teams were asked to travel far from their base. For example: teams playing in *Lagos city centre* AND *Kwara Centre*do not play in their home state. They are bearing the cost and stress of traveling far away.
This double standard is unfair to grassroots clubs. It sends the wrong message that proximity and influence matter more than merit and fairness.
*Our humble requests:*
1. *Review the SS/SE center*: Consider a neutral venue that is not the home state of any participating team or rotate hosting between zones.
2. *Apply a rule for all centers*: If the Lagos and Kwara teams have to travel far, the SS/SE teams should also be in a neutral state.
3. *Publish clear criteria* for selecting playoff centers before next season to avoid bias and protect the integrity of the league.
Grassroots football survives on fairness and trust. Many of these clubs have remained undefeated throughout the season and have invested heavily. They deserve a level playing field.
We believe in NLO and the growth of Nigerian football. Please look into this matter urgently so that clubs do not lose faith in the system.
