Court sustains nullification of Amaju Pinnick’s election as NFF president

The Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State on Friday morning granted the re-listing of the case between Adama Yahaya and Obinna Ogba and the Nigeria Football Federation for hearing.
Yahaya and Ogba, now Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, had dragged the Minister of Sports and the President and General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation to court in suit number FC/J/CS/77/2014 on the NFF leadership tussle.
In his ruling, Justice Musa Haruna Kurya granted the plaintiffs’ prayers by re-listing the case for hearing as well sustaining all previous orders of the court pending the determination of the suit before it.
The Eagle Online recalls that Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the court had nullified the Warri, Delta State General Assembly and the subsequent Elective Congress that brought Amaju Pinnick and his executive committee members into office.
Justice Allagoa then held: “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. 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 than to protect the integrity and sanctity of court. Court orders are not tea party. Nobody is above the law. Impunity must be stopped.
“I have left out the issue of contempt. That does not mean that the Orders of this court should be further disobeyed. Parties are however warned.”
Meanwhile, the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF is set to appeal the ruling.
As at the time of filling this report, a top official at the NFF Glass House said the Legal Officer is already preparing documents for the appeal.