Hosts Wikki Tourists scored two goals inside the opening 27 minutes of play on match-day 36 to beat Akwa United 2-0 at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi.
Taiye Murtala broke the deadlock in the 10th minute before Prince John doubled the home team’s advantage in the 25th minute to secure their stay in the NPFL next football season.
Despite putting up an improved performance in the second half, the 2021 champions were unable to cancel out the two early goals.
The result condemns the Promise Keepers to their 11th defeat in the 2021/2022 Nigeria Professional Football League season thereby dashing their hopes of finishing among the top three teams and picking one of the continental tickets through the league standing.
With two matches before the end of the season, Akwa United remain 8th on the log with 51 points from 36 games while Wikki Tourists improve their standing to 10th on 49 points from the same number of matches.
Akwa United will next face neighbours Abia Warriors at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo in the penultimate game of the season in what will be their last home match of the season.
