Federal High Court orders NFF Elections to be put on hold

Emmanuel Alfred

Justice Inyang Ekwo, the Judge of Federal High Court 5 in Abuja has ordered the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Convention to be put on hold for a month.

This was made clear in a sitting this morning after an application was moved by Dr. Celsius Ukpong, Chief Rumson Victor Baribote and Sayeneniga Jacob for the elections to be shifted for atleast a month.

The individuals are representing some aggrieved members of the League work force who sued the NFF and the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development over unpaid outstanding salaries and allowances by the defunct Nigeria Premier League (NPL) to the tune of about five hundred million naira (#500m) and called for the elections to be staved until their renumerations are duely sorted.

They also called for the amendment of the NFF Electoral Act 2010 demanding for equal representation for all bodies that make up the Federation in terms of voting rights and representation at the NFF board.

The High Court had ruled that the Elections should not be held until the issues raised by the aggrieved parties are properly discussed and sorted out but the NFF had gone ahead to fix the Elections for September 30, 2022 inspite of the Court order.

This action led the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development by the directives of the Federal Government to declare the current LMC board as illegal and called for an interim board to be set up until matters are abated.

The League Management Company in a swift response had called for calm, stating in unequivocal terms the authenticity of the body and even suggested a dialogue with the Sports Ministry to set the matters straight.

Earlier today, it was reported that the men of the Nigeria Police Force raided the premises of the premises of the LMC and locked up the office in Abuja which led to the Club Chairmen Association of Nigeria strongly condemning the actions of the Police Force.