Nigeria risks new FIFA ban as court sacks Amaju Pinnick

Nigeria is in danger of another FIFA ban after a court ruled that elections that ushered in Delta FA chairman Amaju Pinnick as president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) last month were illegal.

World football governing body FIFA have warned that should anything hinder the newly-elected NFF executive committee led by Pinnick from operating, they will move for an automatic ban for the country till the next FIFA congress in May.

On Thursday, Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court Jos ruled against the NFF elections in Warri of September 30 as well as the congress preceding it because they were against his orders.

“I have set aside all the proceedings and decisions of the Warri Extra Ordinary meeting of the 20th September and the Elective Congress of 30th September which were direct contravention of the orders of this court as granted on the 19th September,” said Justice Allagoa.

“Nobody should foist on the court a complete case of hopelessness so that the principles of law and justice can be upheld. It’s not enough to say that the order of court was wrongly made, no matter how unorthodox, its subsisting orders, unless set aside, remains law and must be respected.

“Defendants in this matter have not filed any counter affidavits in this court to contest the facts. There is no motion nor Memorandum of Appearance. This is a court of Record. On this note, the court has no option to protect the integrity and sanctity of court. Court orders are not tea party. Nobody is above the law. Impunity must be stopped.”

Some persons on behalf of Chris Giwa, who maintained he was elected NFF president on August 26, took the matter to the court even though FIFA statutes forbid football matters to be deliberated in a civil court.

FIFA did not recognise the election of Giwa and warned he and his supporters to vacate the NFF office in Abuja.

In July, Nigeria was suspended briefly after another Jos court sacked the NFF then led by Aminu Maigari and the country’s sports minister appointed a civil servant to run the federation.

NFF appeals

The executive committee of Nigeria Football Federation has filed for appeal against the ruling of the Federal High Court, Jos Judicial Division of Thursday, which annulled the NFF elections of September 30.

The Judge had given the order annulling the elections despite a preliminary objection filed by the NFF challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.

NFF 1st Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi, said: “We have been notified of the ruling of the court, which was made in spite of our filing for a preliminary objection concerning the jurisdiction of the court.

“However, our lawyers have gone to work immediately the order was made. We are appealing the ruling and also filing for stay of execution of the order.”

On Thursday, Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court Jos ruled against the NFF elections in Warri of September 30 as well as the congress preceding it.

“I have set aside all the proceedings and decisions of the Warri Extra Ordinary meeting of the 20th September and the Elective Congress of 30th September which were direct contravention of the orders of this court as granted on the 19th September,” said Justice Allagoa.

“Nobody should foist on the court a complete case of hopelessness so that the principles of law and justice can be upheld. It’s not enough to say that the order of court was wrongly made, no matter how unorthodox, its subsisting orders, unless set aside, remains law and must be respected.”