The 2022 Nigeria Football Federation elections have been put on hold for the time being following a court ruling.
The elections into the executive committee of the body are scheduled for September 30 in Benin City, Edo State.
A splinter union of footballers, the National Association of Nigerian Footballers, led by former player Harrison Jallah, took the NFF to court and obtained an injunction to stop the election today.
In his ruling at the Federal High Court in Abuja today, Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered the September 30 NFF elections to be put on hold and adjourned further proceedings until October 31, a full month after the proposed polls.
In the case with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/2022 brought by Jalla, Rumson Baribote and Austin Popo on behalf of the NANF against the NFF and sports minister Sunday Dare, the ex-footballers reminded the court that they had sought, in 2021, to have the NFF statutes amended and the executive committee and congress of the football body expanded.
“The plaintiff approached the court in mid 2021 after due process demanding an amendment to the NFF statutes 2010 for equal representation for all the five statutory bodies making up the Nigeria Football Federation in terms of voting rights and representation on the NFF Board, its Congress and Sub/Standing Committees,” NANF said in a statement issued after today’s court ruling and signed by Jalla.
“The Court had earlier in the month of June 2022 hearing adjourned further proceedings in this matter to October 31st 2022. In between and in their usual characteristic manner of having no regards for the laws of the land the Defendants brazenly fixed election for 30th September 2022. This is in spite of an interlocutory application pending before the Court.
“Consequently and ruling in an exparte application moved this morning by (1) Dr. Celsius Ukpong (2) Chief Rumson Victor Baribote and Fayeneniga Jacob all representing the Plaintiff. Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered the NFF September 30th Election be put on hold and that parties should maintain status quo and adjourned further proceedings to 31st October 2022.”
The same NANF, which is one of multiple bodies claiming to represent Nigerian footballers, also secured a court order which stopped the NFF’s Annual General Assembly from being held in December.
The AGA was eventually held in August after their case was discontinued but their demands were not met and they are back in court.
While there are concerns that this court ruling could cause more problems for an already divided Nigerian football family, some insiders believe the matter will be settled and the elections will go ahead.
There was similar drama before the NFF elections in 2014 and 2018, with the same parties involved.
Currently, the NFF board has 44 members, made up of the 37 state Football Association chairmen and representatives of the leagues.
Comments are closed.