A Jos court has sacked the executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) led by Amaju Pinnick and ordered Chris Giwa to take over the leadership of Nigerian football as he was duly elected.
Justice Musa Haruna Kurya of the federal high court Friday morning granted the prayers of Yahaya Adama and Obinna Ogba to not only relist the suit in the tussle of the leadership of the NFF, but also upheld all the previous orders of the court effectively making Giwa the head of the federation until the final determination of the suit.
Pinnick confirmed the court ruling.
“It is sad we are taking football matters to court,” he said.
“The NFF will file for stay of execution and later appeal the case.”
Former NFF executives Effiong Johnson and Rumson Baribote, who are part of the Giwa cabinet, told reporters they were at the NFF office in Abuja to resume work.
“The court has ruled in our favour asking us to resume office,” said former Akwa Ibom State FA chairman Johnson.
“We have officially resumed office in line with the court directive this morning.
“This was an existing judgement. We didn’t carry it out earlier because the former Nigerian President pleaded with us.
“We urge everyone to stay calm. And that was the message we also passed to the staffers in our first meeting with them this morning.”
Johnson confirmed that the board will have an extensive meeting later today.
“We would be having an extensive board meeting this evening. But just for your information, Robinson Okosun, has been appointed as our acting media officer,” he disclosed.
“We appeal to Nigerians to remain calm, as we would soon come out with decisions that would move Nigeria Football forward.”
“The court said Amaju’s NFF should vacate office immediately after the judge relisted our case for hearing,” added Baribote, who was at a time chairman of the Nigeria Premier League.
“We will follow the court order and see how we could now move Nigeria football.”
Two years ago, Giwa claimed he had been elected president of the NFF, but world football governing body FIFA did not endorse the vote.
In September 2014, then Delta FA chairman Pinnick was elected NFF boss to replace Aminu Maigari.
It is now expected that FIFA will step into this latest row particularly as they frown at football matters being addressed in a civil court.
Meanwhile, The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have appealed a motion to vacate the order and a motion for a stay-of-execution against the judgment of the Jos High Court, which on Friday re-listed a case brought by Chris Giwa against the NFF administration of Amaju Pinnick.
In re-listing the case for hearing on 30th May, the court also restored the order that the election and congress of 30th September 2014 be nullified.
According to an NFF statement, since an appeal, a motion to vacate the order and a stay-of-execution has been filed, on the same day as the judgment, the status quo remains.
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