Minister urges Pinnick, Giwa to respect rule of law
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has urged the parties involved in the current Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leadership crisis to respect the rule of Law.
Reacting to the ruling of a High Court in Jos last Friday, which nullified the election of the present NFF board,
the minister said in a statement yesterday in Abuja, that the development has created confusion and apprehension in the minds of football loving Nigerians.
“I am therefore calling on all parties to the dispute to maintain peace, decorum and respect the rule of law. By this token, they must allow the judicial process to run its course.”
“The import of the Court’s order is to the effect that there is leadership crisis in the NFF; more so, when the public has been treated to conflicting press statements from the two sides laying claim to the leadership of the Federation.
Dalung also stated that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration believes and subscribes to the rule of law and is determined that its actions would always be guided by the constitution and the rule of law.
“It will therefore not support or condone anything that is contrary to this as this will not be in the interest of the nation,” he said.
Dalung declared that the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF has a statutory 30 days of grace to exercise its right of appeal; “therefore the decision of the Court will only take effect if the time for the right of appeal expired without taking advantage of appeal.
“It will be out of place now for any group of persons, who have enjoyed the benevolence and protection of the law in enforcing their right to seek to frustrate other parties from enjoying same right.
“In the light of this, the purported announcement made by the Giwa-led faction, even after the Amaju Pinnick-led executives have indicated their intention to appeal, cannot promote growth and stability in our football.”
The sports minister opined that government was committed to maintenance of law and order and would not allow anything that may likely threaten peace in the country; even as he wanted it be known that the interest of the nation superseded any other interest.
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1 Comments
You are a joke. You people just came to scatter all that is in place.
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