A Federal High Court, Jos, through its registrar, Chika Udenkwo, has shockingly denied reports that it ordered the removal of Amaju Pinnick as president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Chris Giwa, the leader of another faction of the NFF, had on April 8, alleged that the court sacked the Pinnick-led executives – installing him and his cohorts as the rightful head of the Glass House.
Giwa, owner of Nigerian Professional Football League side, Giwa FC, even went a step further by attempting to takeover the secretariat – but was repelled by the police.
The leadership of the Jos-born administrator was twice opposed by world soccer governing body, FIFA – with Pinnick the sole recognised head of Nigerian football.
However, in a sudden twist of events, the High Court on Thursday dismissed any of such claims – revealing that “there is no place in the order where the court removed Amaju Pinnick as the president of the Nigeria Football Federation.”
Udenkwo, in explaining the court order brought by the Giwa group said it was in respect of a motion on notice dated January 29, 2016 and filed on February 3, 2016.
He said the motion prayed for three orders namely extension of time to re-list, order to re-list and lastly restoration of all orders made.
The court, he said, ruled for extension of time within which to apply to re-list for hearing and determination of the suit together with all the motions pending which were discontinued and struck out by the court on October 30, 2014.
The registrar revealed that the only controversy was an interim order in respect of a “Motion Exparte” brought by Obinna Ogba and Yahaya Adama for the Giwa group restraining the third defendants who were Aminu Maigari, Musa Ahmadu as well as the Executive Committee of the then board and all the 36 state FAs pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
“You can see that from that ruling, there is no place in the ruling where the court mentioned Amaju Pinnick,” Udenkwo said.
