Were we naive to expect calmer times in Nigerian football and especially the NFF after our early World Cup exit?

If the news that Chris Giwa has assumed duty as the Nigerian Football Federation President (NFF) after a court order stated that Amaju Pinnick should step down for Giwa, we clearly were. This decision was in line with the ruling of a court order on the June 5, 2018 that nullified the NFF election that was held to uphold Amaju Pinnick as the President of the NFF.

Giwa stated that he was fulfilling his mandate to Nigerian football after he was elected chairman on August 26, 2014. Giwa wanted the current board of the NFF to finish their preparations and World Cup campaign so that they could assume office. He also promised to reconcile with all aggrieved members of the Federation.

He further cleared the doubt of Government intervention in football – a serious offence in FIFA – stating that the NFF operated in accordance with the country’s constitution. Giwa’s election as NFF President was not recognised by FIFA in 2014 and another election was held whivh Pinnick won in Warri.

However, Giwa pursued the case in the court of Arbitration for Sports where he lost and was banned from Football activities by FIFA, but on the June 5, Chris Giwa was recognised as the NFF President and Pinnick’s election victory was set aside by the Nigerian Federal High Court in Jos – smells like a lot of politics.

It certainly looks to me like it was all planned and all parties had agreed on this eventuality – including Pinnick. We do not yet know how this new appointment will Crystalize, but he certainly does have strong support from elements in the Federation and even the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung as he gave a directive that Amaju Pinnick should step down and Chris Giwa be reinstated as the new NFF President following his election in August 26, 2014.  The court order read thus:

‘I have been directed to notify you of the Orders dated June 5th 2018 made by Honorable Justice M. H. Kurya sitting at the Federal High Court Jos in respect of the above mentioned suit between Yahaya Adama Vs Alhaji Aminu Maigari which states that the election of the NFF held on August 26, 2014 under the leadership of Amb Chris Giwa be given recognition pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed in this case and that the purported ban of the Executive Committee elected on August 26, 2014 from football activities of the NFF is unconstitutional, null and void. ‘It is trite law that court orders are sacrosanct and any acts of disobedience to it constitutes threat to the rule of law. Consequent upon the above, you are hereby advised to comply with the orders of court made therein which for now, is the valid and binding order of court, in the absence of any other subsisting order or judgment to the contrary’.

As I stated earlier that this particular court order stinks of a lot of politics between Giwa and Solomon Dalung – both who have major ties to Plateau state – the same state where the court order came from. Also one has to question the destabilizing effect such an order will have on the NFF, especially since it is not the final ruling and there is a slim chance that Amaju Pinnick can still be restored to his position.

Say what you like about Amaju Pinnick but he brought stability along with committee members Shehu Dikko and Seyi Akinwunmi in their various duties. There is more organisation and concrete leadership in the Federation and one can question the competencies of Giwa and his committee members – especially after he was banned from football related activities.

Finally, the issue of Government interference in Football is another dimension to the conundrum the NFF is in. The FIFA rules clearly states that the government must not interfere with Football matters in the country, but with a Nigerian court clearly interfering with a FIFA accepted federation election, the situations looks bleak for Nigeria. I tried to contact a resource person in the NFF and they were uncooperative in shedding more light on the issue at the time of this article. We certainly hope the decisions being made by the key parties are being made with Nigeria’s Football best interest and not their own best interest.