NFF Election nullification: Maigari appeals

TRIAL...From L-R: Sani Lulu, Fmr President, NFF; Amanze Uchegbulam, Fmr Vice President, NFF; Bolaji Ojo-Oba, Fmr Secretary, NFF and Taiwo Ogunjobi, Fmr Head of the Technical Committee, NFF at the Fed High Court, Maitama, Abuja where they were arraigned by the EFCC for alleged graft during their tenure as executives of the NFF

Deposed President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Mr Aminu Maigari has urged the Court of Appeal, Lagos to set aside the ruling of a Federal High Court, Lagos, which nullified the August 26 election that brought him to office

Maigari, and chairman of the NFF’s electoral committee, A.U Mustapha, want the court to set aside Monday ruling by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

They are contending that the trial lower court judge erred in law when he nullified the election, despite the fact that no application to that effect was argued before him.

It will be recalled that Justice Abang had on Monday nullified the August 26 election into the board of the NFF on the ground that the election was conducted despite a court order directing parties to maintain status quo.

NANF is challenging the conduct of the NFF election, which was originally fixed for August 21, on the ground that the process of the election was perfected without recourse to its members contrary to the clear wordings of Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, statute and other extant laws relating to football administration in Nigeria.

The lower court also ordered the Inspector General of Police, mr Ogbonaya Onovo to immediately arrest anybody that wants to purport to act on the basis of the August 26 election, while the most senior administrative officer of the NFF was ordered to take over the affairs of the NFF, pending the conduct of a proper election into the NFF board.

Maigari and Mustapha, in the appeal, are contending that the lower court committed grave miscarriage of justice by making unjustifiable consequential orders when there was no application of any counsel to that effect.

Defendants in the appeal are NANF, President of the Nigeria Premier League Board, NPL, Davidson Owumi, Sports Minister, Isa Bio and Director General of Sports, Patrick Ekeji.

According to the sacked NNF President, when the order was made, what transpired was submissions on priority of applications and nothing more, adding that the judge did not invite counsel or parties to the suit to address him on whether or not the elections should be annulled.

Maigari and Mustapha have similarly filed separate application before the Federal High Court, seeking a stay of its order nullifying the election.

By Innocent Anaba