FG Fires Amaju Pinnick As NFF President

The Federal Government has ordered the current board of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, led by Amaju Pinnick to vacate their office.

The decision was a fallout of a ruling by the Supreme Court delivered on April 27, 2018.

The apex court had in its judgment restored the orders of the Federal High Court, setting aside the purported election into the Executive Committee of the NFF held on September 30, 2014.

The directive was contained in a statement on Monday by the office of the Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung.

The Minister also directed Chris Giwa who was voted as President of the NFF in a congress that wasn’t recognized by FIFA to take over the running of the apex football governing body in the country.

The statement reads; “I have been directed to notify you of the Orders dated June 5th 2018 made by Honorable Justice M. H. Kurya sitting at the Federal High Court Jos in respect of the above mentioned suit between Yahaya Adama Vs Alhaji Aminu Maigari which states that the election of the NFF held on August 26, 2014 under the leadership of Amb Chris Giwa be given recognition pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed in this case and that the purported ban of the Executive Committee elected on August 26, 2014 from football activities of the NFF is unconstitutional, null and void.

“It is trite law that court orders are sacrosanct and any acts of disobedience to it constitutes threat to the rule of law. Consequent upon the above, you are hereby advised to comply with the orders of court made therein which for now, is the valid and binding order of court, in the absence of any other subsisting order or judgment to the contrary.

Dalung directed the parties involved to comply with the court order.

“This is a court order and not from Dalung. I will not want to go to Kuje prison because of disobedience of court orders. Therefore, I hereby comply with the court orders of June 5th 2018, while Mr Amaju Pinnick and others are also directed to comply with same.

“Consequently, Barrister Dalung has however directed the parties involved to comply with the court order.

“This is a court order and not from Dalung. I will not want to go to Kuje prison because of disobedience of court orders. Therefore, I hereby comply with the court orders of June 5th 2018, while Amaju Pinnick and others are also directed to comply with same.”

It is yet to be seen how the world football governing body, FIFA, will react to the new twist in the leadership tussle. FIFA opposes football matters being taken to civil courts.