The mention of a lawsuit brought against Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youth and Sports, and Amaju Pinnick, the former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has been set for February 6 at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Monday hearing on the case had to be cancelled. Therefore, the parties’ legal counsels agreed on a new date.
Harrison Jalla, Chief Victor Rumson Baribote, Austin Popo, and the National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF) sued the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Pinnick, and the minister as the first through third defendants in the move with the file number FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/2021.
The claimants requested an interim order preventing the defendants, his agent, employees, staff, officials, or electoral committee from organising or holding any election into any executive office of the NFF prior to the hearing and decision on the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction in the motion dated and filed on September 2.
Fayenengigha Jacob, a lawyer in the chamber of Ukpong, stated in his affidavit in support of the motion that one of the complaints in the case was the NFF’s undemocratic constitution, which prevented the majority of stakeholders and members from participating in or contributing to the development of football in Nigeria.
He asserts that Nigerian football’s reputation has plummeted as a result of the body’s undemocratic leadership.
While the case was still pending in court, according to Jacob, the defendants announced and supposedly attempted to organise and hold the aforementioned body’s election on September 30 in Edo.
If the election scheduled for September went on without the current motions and substantive matter being heard, he claimed, the issue’s core will be defeated.
The NFF executive election was due to take place in Edo on September 30, but was postponed after claimants’ attorney Celsus Ukpong lodged the ex-parte request on September 15.
They were required to maintain the status quo until the move on notice for an interlocutory injunction was heard and decided by Justice Ekwo, who set the hearing date for October 31.
However, the NFF appealed the judge’s decision.
Patrick Mekako, the attorney for the NFF (the appellant), asked the court to reverse its previous decision in the notice of appeal with the file number FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/2021, which was dated September 27 and submitted on September 28.
In light of this, the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed the lower court’s ruling prohibiting the conduct of the NFF election slated for September 30 in Edo on September 29.
The NFF elected Mr. Ibrahim Gusau as its new president after the election was held on September 30 in Benin City, Edo.
According to reports, Gusau, a member of the CAF organising committee and the chairman of the football associations’ chairs, received 39 votes to succeed Amaju Pinnick.
