The widely publicised peaceful resolution of Nigeria’s football crisis brokered by the acting Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullai, could turn out to be huge a joke if Honourable Akin Akinbobola, another aggrieved party, carries out his threat.
Akinbobola, Special Adviser to Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, has threatened to return to court unless certain conditions were met.
Akinbobola was allegedly disfranchised in the re-run election of the Nigeria Premier League, which produced Victor Rumsum Baribote as the chairman.
In an exclusive interview with The Eagle Online in Ijebu-Ode, the one-time Team Manager of Sunshine Stars of Akure, threatened to return to court unless his pending appeal against the election of Baribote is heard.
He said: “I will surely take the matter to court except my appeal is heard. I was duly cleared by the electoral committee to contest for the chairmanship position of the NPL but I was not allowed to participate in the rerun. So what peace are they talking about?”
Akinbobola said further that he would only abide by the court ruling on the matter.
“If at the end of the day, I lose the case in court, I will take it in good faith. I have the fundamental right as a Nigerian to seek redress in court,” he said.
It is recalled that as part of peace agreement, two aggrieved persons, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and Ray Nnaji, were persuaded to withdraw their cases from court, with a promise to make them honourary members of the NFF.
This position was convened to FIFA by the Minister during his visit to the Zurich Headquarters of the world soccer ruling body last week.