Federal high Court annuls NFF elections

Sacked:Amaju Pinnick

A Federal High Court sitting in Jos has invalidated the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) election of September 30, 2014, held in Warri.

The NFF polls of September had brought into office Amaju Pinnick as president of the football federation succeeding Aminu Maigari.

But two members of the Chris Giwa group had gone to court to seek redress, asking the court to stop the NFF congresses from being held.

Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Jos declared in his ruling on Thursday that “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.

“Nobody should foist on the court a complete case of hopelessness so that the principles of law and justice can be upheld. Its 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 a tea party. Nobody is above the law. Impunity must be stopped.

The court judge did not treat the contempt issue but added that all "parties (in the suit) are however warned" of disobeying his court.

Supersport.com sources have, however, informed that the NFF executive committee presided over by Pinnick will apply for a stay of execution of the ruling.

The substantive matters in the case was adjourned by Justice Allagoa till November 25.

With this development, there are fear that the world football governing body, Fifa, could be forced to clamp down on the NFF and impose immediate sanctions that will include being barred from international football activities.

Fifa had warned the country's football federation that should any mishap befall its governance again, the international football body will be left with no option than to apply automatic sanctions that will run till May 2015 when Fifa's congress will be held.