Remo Stars will be crowned NPFL champions today for the first time in their history with a home win over Niger Tornadoes.
The team from the proud Ijebu town of Ikenne have been runners-up in the last two seasons, but victory today in front of their fans will give them an unassailable 68 points with three rounds of matches to the end of the season.
They will thus become the first privately-owned club to achieve this feat since 1996, when Udoji United did so.
Remo Stars likely coronation will fittingly be on the 59th birthday of owner Kunle Soname and a crowning glory for coach Daniel Ogunmodede ‘Ijaball’.
However, the race for the remaining two continental tickets is still very much wide open.
Second-placed Rivers United have 58 points from 35 matches, but third-placed Ikorodu City (53 points, 34 matches), Abia Warriors (53 points, 34 matches), Bendel Insurance (50 points 34 matches) and even Kano Pillars (50 points, 35 matches) make up the chasing pack.
In the relegation zone are Heartland, Akwa United and Sunshine Stars, but El Kanemi Warriors, Nasarawa United, Niger Tornadoes, Katsina United, Bayelsa United and Plateau United are still not safe.
The relegation battle will therefore go right down to the wire.
