The founder and Chairman of premier league club, Bukola Babes Football Club, Alhaji Abdul Adama, have officially handed over the illustrious football club to his mentor, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
Alhaji Abdul Adama, in his speech, promised to replicate same success he achieved with Bukola Babes FC in Kogi State if given the opportunity and necessary support.
It is a known fact that Kogi State does not have a football club in the Nigeria professional cadre. Kogi United has since disappeared from the national football scene.
Alhaji Adama is a Kogi indigene from Idah.
While announcing the change in ownership at an elaborate media briefing in Ilorin, Adama debunked reports in the media that Saraki acquired the football club for N250 million.
Alhaji Abdul cleared the air on the bidding process and eventual change of ownership. He agreed that the management of the club had initially invited take-over bids from interested investors and had about nine bids from state governments in Nigeria and an investor from Ghana among other private investors.
Adama told newsmen at the briefing that when his mentor, Bukola Saraki, showed interest in taking over the affairs of the premier league club he handed it over at no cost. He said the change in ownership was based on a ‘father-son’ relationship and no cash exchanged hands.
As a result of the change in ownership the football club was renamed after the new owner, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Fotball Club.
An elated Adama told the gathering how the club started in 2004. He said the birth of the club was borne out of his understanding of his boss passion for youth development and empowerment.
The event also witnessed the unveiling of the new brand for the football club, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Football Club.
The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, represented at the event by the Commissioner for Sports and Youth development, Barrister Kayode Towoju, restated his administration’s readiness and determination to create an enabling environment for sports development in the state.
He said that youth empowerment and engaging youth in a useful venture were the priority of the present administration in the State.
Barrister Towoju noted that with full acquisition and transformation of Bukola Babes into Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC by Senator Bukola Saraki would go a long way in curbing social vices and restiveness among the teeming unemployed youths.
The Special Adviser to the Kwara State Governor on Sport, Mallam Toyin Olokooba, expressed joy and happiness for the coming on board of ABS FC and pledged total support of his office to the club.
