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NFF is being run illegally, former NFA chairman says

NFF
By Samuel Max-Iyaye/Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, Aug. 7, 2018 (NAN) Abdulmumini Aminu,a former Chairman of the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA), on Tuesday in Abuja called for the introduction of an enabling law for the present-day Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Aminu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the NFF was being run illegally at the moment and therefore needed an enabling law for effective football administration in the country.

He consequently called on the National Assembly to urgently enact laws which would enhance the operations of the NFF.

“The key to curbing the crisis in the NFF is an Act of the National Assembly.

“The NFF is illegally run, because there is no law backing it. The NFF is being run by Decree 101 which was used for the NFA.

“Unless the National Assembly helps to enact an act or create an enabling law for the NFF, we are still going to have problems,’’ the retired Nigerian Army Colonel said.

He said the leadership tussle between Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa had dragged for too long because of lack of laws for the federation.

NAN reports that “A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Nigeria Football Association  Law 2004 and Enact the NFF Act to Provide for the Administration of the Game of Football in Nigeria and for other Related Matters” is currently before the National Assembly.(NAN)
SMI/DE/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Dalung inaugurates 6-man reconciliation committee on NFF leadership crisis

Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, fourth from right, with members of NFF Reconciliation Committee.

Committee

By Dorcas Jonah and Chiamaka Ubabuko
Abuja, Aug. 6, 2018 (NAN) The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, on Monday inaugurated a six-man reconciliation committee to bring lasting solution to the lingering crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Inaugurating the committee in Abuja, Dalung said the NFF crisis has already impeded the desired growth and development of football in the country.

“Except personal interests were set aside, the crisis will continue unabated. So, we need to do something,’’ he said.

Dalung said the committee was set up following a decision taken at the Stakeholders Roundtable on Governance Challenges of the NFF held in July in Abuja.

“Unless we each put aside our parochial interests and differences, and work towards the common goal of combating the evil plaguing Nigerian football, it will continue its free fall.

“This, any responsible government will not allow, hence the need for this committee of distinguished elders,’’ the  minister said.

He said the committee’s inauguration on Monday marked yet another milestone in the collective efforts to rescue Nigerian football and set it on a path of sustainable growth.

Dalung urged the committee to identify the causes of the current leadership crisis in the NFF, evaluate the dimensions of the crisis and the contribution of actors to the issue.

He said the committee should invite the two warring NFF factions to the reconciliation table with a view to addressing their concerns towards “achieving a sustainable and win-win solution’’.

Dalung also advised the committee to make recommendations to ensure smooth leadership succession without adversely affecting the development and management of football in Nigeria.

Responding on behalf of the committee members, the chairman of the committee, Abdulmumini Aminu, promised to put in their best to ensure a lasting solution to the crisis.

“The assignment is a complex one in the sense that whatever position you take, the other side will see you as taking side.

“But with the calibre of people on the committee, who are responsible Nigerians and technocrats, I believe we will be able to do a very thorough job for the nation.

“We know there is much at stake in this issue, and the integrity of the country is at stake. Also, `FIFA hammer’ is by the side, it can knock on us at any moment.

“So, we have to be very careful and very thorough while undertaking this assignment,’’ the retired Army Colonel, who is also a former chairman of the NFF, said.

Other members of the committee are former NFF Presidents Ibrahim Galadima and Anthony Kojo-Williams, Onye Gye-Wado, Sam Sam Jaja and Bolaji Ojo-Oba.

A Secretariat to provide proper documentation of all activities of the committee comprises Danjuma Muhammed, the Acting Director of Legal Services at the Sports Ministry, Stanley Okebugwu and Reuben Tiyatiye.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee has two weeks to work and submit its report.(NAN)
UCN/DE/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sport

Pinnick-led NFF’s Benin congress illegal and inconsequential, Giwa says

Congress
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Aug. 5, 2018 (NAN) Chris Giwa, President of another faction of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), says Thursday’s Extraordinary General Assembly in Benin by the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF is not only illegal but also inconsequential.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Benin congress had, among other issues, directed a review of the NFF election guidelines in a bid to accommodate all aggrieved parties.

The directive, which was part of the communique issued by the congress at the end of the meeting, also asked all parties to withdraw their court cases.

As part of the reconciliatory move to resolve the ongoing crisis engulfing football in the country, the congress also considered lifting the ban on Giwa and members of his faction.

However, Giwa who spoke with NAN through Victor Iroele, his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media, said the congress was a mere gathering of Pinnick and his friends in Benin City.

“Pinnick gathered some of his close friends in Benin, with a view to holding what was termed a congress of the NFF, but he was unfortunately rebuffed by the host state, whose governor was neither present, nor any of his aides.

“Apparently, the governor chose to abide by the rule of law in respect of a Supreme Court judgment which reaffirmed Pinnick as being an illegal NFF president.

“This is the first time in recent memory that a supposed NFF congress will not have a government representative who is usually the Minister of Youths and Sports Development,” he said.

Iroele rejected Pinnick’s advice to Giwa to withdraw the orders of court recognising him as the NFF president with a view to contesting in a fresh election.

“What he sees as a compensation is out of place and an outright injustice.

“A Federal High Court sitting in Jos has declared the elective Congress of 2014 that brought Pinnick as illegal, null, void and of no consequence in law.

“The court has also, through Justice Haruna Kurya, affirmed that Giwa shall hold office as NFF President pending when the suit before that court would be determined.

“The same orders have been re-affirmed by the Supreme Court. However, Pinnick continues to parade himself as the NFF president.

“The plea to reconcile with Giwa has indeed exposed his desperation to remain in office by having the court orders withdrawn,” he said.

Iroele also said the Benin congress has challenged the court’s competence and jurisdiction, adding that any reconciliatory move was supposed to be at the instance of Giwa and not Pinnick.

“In what seems to be another flagrant disregard for the laws of the land, the Benin City Congress challenged the competence and jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, declaring its orders as ‘unnecessary distraction’.

“The said communiqué says `there is no basis or foundation for the current court actions in the Federal High Court, Jos in Suit no FHC/J/CS/177/2014 over the same matter as it is clearly ultra vires to football rules and regulations.

`It is simply an unnecessary distraction to and detraction from the sustainable growth of football in Nigeria and has the potential to get Nigeria suspended from being a member of the global football family, FIFA’.”

“Ironically, Pinnick has approached the same court with three ex-parte motions seeking to grant him temporary stay as NFF president and as you know, the court rejected all three motions and adjourned the case to Sept. 25.

“However, I can confirm that several high-profile meetings are currently ongoing to fashion out ways to move the country’s football forward for the good of all Nigerians,” he said.(NAN)
VO/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

NFF crisis: Pinnick again fails to stop Giwa in court

NFF
By Thompson Yamput
Jos, Aug. 1, 2018 (NAN) The Federal High Court in Jos on Wednesday refused to grant a request to stop Chris Giwa from taking over as the President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Amaju Pinnick, whose four-year tenure as NFF President is due to end on Sept. 30, had filed a motion challenging the court’s ex-parte order which installed Giwa in office.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court’s latest ruling meant Pinnick has again failed to dislodge Giwa from the NFF.

Justice Musa Kurya, while ruling in the case between Yahaya Adama/Obinna Ogba and Aminu Maigari/Musa Ahmadu and two others, had on June 5 asked Pinnick’s NFF leadership to leave office.

His order had followed a Supreme Court judgment asking the lower court to again look at the matter between Yahaya group and Maigari’s group for determination.

But Pinnick, through his counsel, Festus Keyamo, had on July 5 stormed the court with two motions.

They were demanding the vacation of the order, pending the determination of an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.

Unfortunately, the motions could not be heard, due to objection by counsel to Adama and others, Mr Ardzard, leading to the case’s adjournment until July 10.

When the case came up again on July 10, Keyamo’s representation claim for Maigari and Ahmadu, was challenged by Shangyula Samuel.

Samuel had told the court that he was the only appointed and briefed representative of the duo of Maigari and Ahmadu.

That argument took long, with Keyamo withdrawing his appearance for the duo and left to represent only Pinnick, leading the judge to adjourning the case to Sept 25 for hearing.

Kurya had said that he was already on vacation and could only sit when there is a directive from the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN).

The fiat indeed came from the CJN and the case was then fixed for hearing on Wednesday.

When the case came up, Festus Ukpe from Keyamo’s Chambers told the court he has three motions for filing before it and which would be done in the afternoon.

But Ardzard had objected to the Ukpe’s application on the ground that he (Ukpe) had not served them  with copies of the motions.

Ukpe, in reply, said he intended to file later in the day and at the same serve all other counsels in the matter with copies of all the three motions.

After all arguments, Kurya later had to again adjourn the case to Sept. 25.

He said this was to enable Pinnick’s counsel properly file his motions before the court and effect service to all the parties involved in the matter.

NAN reports that this is the second effort by Pinnick to ensure Giwa was stopped from ousting him, by seeking an outright vacation of the order issued by the court.(NAN)

TYC/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

NFF crisis: Football stakeholders promise to reconcile warring parties

Reconciliation

By Dorcas Jonah

Abuja, July 24, 2018 (NAN) A cross-section of football stakeholders on Tuesday in Abuja promised to reconcile the different parties in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leadership crisis in order to bring development to the sport.

The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, while briefing newsmen at the end of a meeting, said the promise was the stakeholders’ resolution.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dalung spoke on behalf of the stakeholders after the meeting, which he convened.

He had in attendance over 20 members of the football family, and the meeting was tagged “Stakeholders Roundtable on the State of Governance of Nigeria Football’’.

The minister said the meeting was necessitated by the current crisis in Nigeria football.

“The football family has faced some challenges relating to leadership in recent times.

“Today, we decided to invite elders in the football family to help us look into the issues, discuss them and possibly suggest the way forward.

“After brainstorming and a thorough discussion of issues, we have reviewed and analysed almost everything that relate to peace and unite in the football family.

“The stakeholders in the football family have resolved that as elders they are going to look into the crisis in the NFF and reconcile the different parties so as to allow Nigeria football to grow,’’ Dalung said.(NAN)

DE/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

NFF leadership tussle: Glass House not under lock and key, Sanusi says

NFF
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, July 24, 2018 (NAN) Mohammed Sanusi, the General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Tuesday in Abuja said claims that the federation’s Glass House secretariat was under lock and key were untrue.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Department of State Services (DSS) operatives had on Monday stormed the NFF secretariat with orders to restore normalcy to the place.

They were later joined by Sanusi, who said he received a letter from the Office of the Minister of Justice to the effect that Nigeria would respect FIFA’s position on the matter.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino had stated on the sidelines of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia that the global body only recognised Amaju Pinnick as the NFF President.

Three weeks ago, a group led by Chris Giwa had stormed the NFF secretariat to take control on the strength of a court ruling.

However, with the new directive, the NFF Executive Committee led by Pinnick has been restored to office.

“As you can see, there is no problem, as activities are running smoothly and everyone is going about his or her business at the Glass House,” Sanusi told NAN.

“I don’t know where these rumours about the NFF headquarters being under lock and key is coming from, but I can assure you that it is certainly not true.

“I will therefore advise all those peddling such rumours to please desist from this,” he added.

NAN also reports that NFF staff were seen moving in and out of the office doing their regular work with some operatives of the DSS stationed outside the NFF Secretariat.(NAN)
VO/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

General news

(Video) NAN News Highlights for Mon., July 23, 2018

1. The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC),
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, says ministers, who failed to inaugurate
members of boards of parastatals under their supervision, risk expulsion from the party.

Oshiomhole condemned the actions of some ministers who had refused to
inaugurate board members appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari and
now appropriate the powers of the board by awarding contracts without
recourse to due process.
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2. A Civil Society Organisation, Elections monitor 2018, has commended
the Independent National Electoral Commission for ensuring a level
–playing field for all political parties during the just concluded
Ekiti State Governorship election.
The coordinator of the CSO, Mr Abiodun Ajijola during the public
presentation of the election observation report said there was
improvement in INEC’s conduct of Election Day activities with no
evidence of partisanship
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3. Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi, the Director, Family Health Department of the
Federal Ministry of Health has advised medical practitioners and other
stakeholders in the health sector, to scale up the use of
chlorhexidine vaccine to reduce newborn deaths due to umbilical cord
infections.
Adebiyi emphasised the need for stakeholders’ intervention in making
the drug available in both public and private health facilities across
the country.
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4. The Nigerian Hajj Medical Team on Monday in Madinah, Saudi Arabia,
cautioned pilgrims against environmental hazards arising from harsh
weather conditions during their pilgrimage in the holy cities of
Makkah and Madinah.

Head of the Medical Team, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Dr
Muhammad Abdulkadir said because of the high temperatures and harsh
weather in Madinah, pilgrims were at the risk of getting dehydrated
and therefore needed to drink plenty of water frequently.
Abdulkadir advised the pilgrims to maintain personal hygiene and
observe environmental sanitation as well as eat good food throughout
the duration of the Hajj.
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5. The Industrial Training Fund in collaboration with the Nigerian air
Force has trained two hundred personnel in Electrical Works, Auto Cad,
Welding and Fabrication, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Masonry,
Plumbing and Pipe Fitting.
The Director General of ITF, Mr. Joseph Ari, said the event marked a
water shed in the effort to skill and re-skill members of the Armed
Forces for efficient management of Security stations country wise.
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6.  The General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mohammed
Sanusi, says the Amaju Pinnick-led Executive Committee of is back to
the federation’s secretariat to direct affairs in earnest.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino threatened to sanction NFF over the
long running battle for leadership of the federation between the
Pinnick-led executive committee and the Chris Giwa-led faction.
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Sport

NFF Leadership Tussle: Referees, others beg President Buhari to intervene

Referees

By Emma Afonne
Abuja, July 18, 2018 (NAN) The Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the leadership crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to avert FIFA’s impending ban.

The referees’ leadership made the call after an emergency meeting with the leaders of Nigeria Football Coaches and National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (NANF) in Abuja on Wednesday.

The President of NRA, Tade Azeez, who spoke on behalf of the group, told newsmen that the call for Buhari’s intervention became necessary to avert the looming FIFA ban.

“Without prejudice to the Supreme Court judgment which referred back the matter to the trial court to start a fresh and subsequent exparte order issued on June 5, and also aware that the constitution of Nigeria is the grand norm, we however, wish to highlight the dangers of the current disputes.

“While taking into consideration the fact that NFF is an affiliate of FIFA, its worthy to note that football matters should not be taken to local courts, as the obvious implications may spell doom for Nigerian football and by extension the lives and career of its footballers if FIFA ban is imposed.

“Our pain and concern, just like millions of other sports-loving Nigerians is the consequences of the ban on the national team players and officials of Falconets who have already qualified for the U-20 Women’s World Cup.

“The Super Eagles who are in the final phase of Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers and are scheduled to play in August and September will also be affected.

“Other effect of the ban will be the exclusion of Nigerian referees from CAF and FIFA activities and the exclusion of Nigerian clubs from continental championships like the CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup.

“Nigeria can’t afford to be isolated from the global football family and put the lives and future of millions of Nigerian youths in jeopardy,” Azeez said.

He therefore, called for an emergency congress of the NFF to be convened to address the problems in the country’s football.

This, Azeez said, would open the space for all interested persons who want to contest for any position in accordance with the NFF statutes to do so.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three associations used the occasion to highlight the unfair treatment meted out to them by the leadership of the NFF.

They urged the congress of the NFF to as a matter of urgent importance consider the NRA, NANF and the coaches association as part of the NFF executive committee, as it was in the NFA statutes of 2008.

The meeting noted that failure to restore these associations’ membership statutes in the NFF executive committee would relegate their members to the back door in the administration of football in Nigeria. (NAN)
EMAF/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)

Sport

NFF appoints Ikpeme Acting Gen. Sec., postpones league resumption

NFF

Abuja, July 18, 2018 (NAN) The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) led by Chris Giwa, has appointed Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme Acting General Secretary of the football house following corruption allegation levelled against former General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the announcement was made on Tuesday night after an exhaustive meeting of the NFF Executive Committee at the football secretariat in Abuja.

Sanusi had been mandated to step aside sequel to investigations into allegations of financial corruption levelled against him to give way for the appointment of an acting scribe pending when the Executive Committee will announce a substantive General Secretary.

The Chairman, Communique Drafting Committee, Otunba Dele Ajayi, who addressed newsmen after their meeting, said the present NFF leadership had decided to restore match bonuses and allowances to all age group teams.

“We are new in office, we have to collate records and when we are done with that we will let you know.

“If we say we are restoring the match bonuses and allowances of all age group teams, it does not mean we will pay arrears immediately.

“The board will meet to decide whether to pay outstanding debts to the teams or continue on a clean slate.

“We will later fashion out a way to pay the outstanding debts and we are starting again to pay allowances to the age grade teams,” Dele Ajayi said.

According to him, the teams in question are the U-23 team, Flying Eagles, Golden Eaglets, Falconets and the Flamingoes.

He said the Giwa-led NFF had taken note of the various national teams preparations for Africa and World Cup qualifiers, noting that financial and moral support would be given to them to succeed.

“The board notes the activities of NFF for the rest of the year which include the Flying Eagles qualifiers against Mauritania, as well as the Falconets World Cup preparation and tournament.

“We have also noted the Super Eagles Nations Cup qualifiers against Seychelles in September and the Golden Eaglets African Nations qualifier in Niger Republic in September,” he added.

The executive committee also resolved that the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) earlier scheduled to resume on July 18, be postponed by two weeks.

It would be recalled the League Management Company had on Tuesday announced an indefinite suspension of the Premier League following the leadership crisis in the NFF.

The Giwa-led board has also fixed an emergency congress on July 27 to find a lasting solution to the perennial crisis in Nigerian football. (NAN)
EMAF/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)

Sport

FG’s action on NFF leadership crisis in order – legal practitioner

NFF

by Kayode Adebiyi/Dorcas Jonah

Abuja, July 3, 2018 (NAN) Chuks Ohuegbe, an Abuja-based legal practitioner says the decision made by the Federal Government  to reinstate Chris Giwa as President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), is in order.

The Federal Government on Monday,  ordered the current board of the NFF, led by Amaju Pinnick to vacate their office in respect to a ruling by the Supreme Court.

Reacting, Ohuegbe, urged the NFF to comply with the Supreme Court ruling, saying: “the decision holds better prospects for football in Nigeria”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, made the announcement in a memo, based on the Supreme Court ruling of April 27.

NAN reports that the ruling restored the orders of the Federal High Court, setting aside the purported election into the Executive Committee of the NFF held on Sept,  30, 2014.

Ohuegbe, a former Managing Editor and Legal Adviser at the Leadership Newspaper, told NAN that the Minister’s action was in accordance with the law.

“Those who are saying football issues must go to the Court of Arbitration for Sports don’t have an adequate understanding of the law.

“In law, if you are a party to any issue and you make yourself available throughout the legal process any ruling given by the court is binding on all the parties.

“Remember that all parties appeared in court and the matter went to the Supreme Court and Pinnick’s representation still remained. That is very basic and that was what happened,” Ohuegbe said.

The legal practitioner however decried the sentimental twists and conspiracy theories accorded the legal interpretation of Dalung’s decision to comply with the judgment.

“If not that Giwa is a peace-loving person, he would have been the NFF president to lead Nigeria to the World Cup.

“But he maintained that the interest of this country is above any personal interest. As the judgment creditor, he decided not to enforce the judgment until after the World Cup.

“Unfortunately, some fellows are beginning to give the issue some sentimental colourations.

“In this case, I’ll say Chris Giwa is a southerner who was brought up in Jos and has the fundamental right like every other person to seek legal redress which was what he did.

“Assuming he insisted that the April 27th judgment must be implemented immediately, what would have happened?

“Amaju Pinnick had no business being the NFF president one day beyond April 27. The  law has to take its course and that has happened now” he said.

Also reacting, a former Director-General of the defunct National Sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye, said the  Supreme Court ruling, is “final”.

“This decision I think, will bring development to football in Nigeria.

“We are not getting it right now, so this will give us an opportunity to sit down and think on the way forward for football in Nigeria.

“Our football have been in crises and this is an opportunity to get it right,’’ he said.(NAN)

KIA/DE/SH

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edited by Sadiya Hamza