It was in a bid to avoid distraction in the upcoming season that Rivers United stormed the government house to protest over non-payment of their entitlements, according to captain Festus Austine.
Austine states they had to do what they did on Tuesday as they have ran out of relatively calmer strategies to get their entitlements.
“We had to do what we did because it was the avenue we felt our money can be paid. We have approached all football stakeholders in the state with a view to help us attract the attention of the sports loving governor to ensure we are paid but it has not yielded positive results,” Austine told Goal.
“We went for a peaceful demonstration because we know that the Governor is doing a lot to lift the club. He has been prompt with payment of our entitlements since he assumed his position as governor but the 2014-15 season entitlements cannot be swept under the carpet because we worked for it.
“We owed people debts and we depend on that entitlement to offset all we owe our debtors. It was this that made us embark on a peaceful demonstration.
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“I pointed out in an earlier interview that some distractions over unpaid entitlements affected our performance last season. We had the players and the coaches to repeat our performance of 2015-16 season but other factors set in and we do not want that to repeat itself this term.
“We are satisfied with the way the Governor addressed us and we know that something will soon be done about it,” he concluded.
