NFF crisis: Pinnick again fails to stop Giwa in court

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.

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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.

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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.