Court nullifies NFF elections

A federal high court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos has nullified the elections conducted into the elective offices of the Nigerian Football Authority [NFF] on August 26, 2010.

Presiding Justice Okon Abang while nullifying the elections directed the most senior administrative officer of the NFF to take command pending when elections are properly conducted.

In his ruling, the court noted that the conduct of elections despite a pending court order restraining same is reckless, outrageous and a gross disregard for the rule of law, one which constitutes contempt of court and which would not be tolerated.

Justice Abang has also ordered the Inspector general of police to remove any person found occupying any elective office of the NFA.

The Court also threatens to jail NFF officials over contempt, and to jail officials of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and its electoral committee if he discovers that they deliberately disobey his order.

It can be recalled that Justice Abang Okon of a Federal High Court in Lagos restrained the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) from going ahead with the general election pending the hearing and determination of a motion filed by the Registered Trustees of the National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF).

NANF had instituted the suit against the NFF and others, alleging that the process of the election was perfected without recourse to its members. This it claimed ran contrary to the clear wordings of FIFA's statute and other extant laws relating to football administration in the country.

Joined as co-defendants in the suit are; NFF's acting president, Aminu Maigari; President of the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) Board, Davidson Owumi; the Minister of Sports, Ibrahim Isa Bio; Director General of Sports in the Federal Sports Ministry; Patrick Ekeji and NFF's electoral committee chairman, A.U Mustapha.

Justice Abang held that it would be improper to allow the elections to take place when there was a pending motion before the court seeking restrain in the conduct of the elections.
Specifically, the court ordered parties to maintain the status quo (antebellum) pending the determination of the NANF's motion.

Maigari ,the president elect has accepted the court's ruling in good fate,I think that is a good sportsmanship spirit.

NFF needs a total overhaul,all old faces should go,let there be a new beginning,I can't understand why and how people get glued to NFF even when they are retarding its progress.

This is a nice feat,at last,I hope all this madness in NFF will end one day.
The NFF scandal is a well known phenomenon in our local leagues.