NFF says there’s no cause for alarm over Jos court order

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Friday in Abuja said it had “swiftly’’ reacted to a Federal High Court order which directed the recognition of Chris Giwa as its President.

In a statement by Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Assistant Director (Communications), the federation said it had moved to file an appeal and a motion to vacate the order.

It said the NFF also filed a motion for a stay-of-execution against the judgment of the court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court had on Friday decided to re-list a case brought by Giwa against the NFF administration of Amaju Pinnick.

In re-listing the case for hearing on May 30, the court also restored the order that the election and Congress of Sept. 30, 2014 be nullified.

The statement said since the NFF has immediately filed an appeal and a motion to vacate the order, as well as a stay-of-execution has been filed, the status quo remains.

It quoted NFF First Vice-President Seyi Akinwunmi as saying there was no need to panic over the development.

“This is a sad one, primarily because we have enjoyed a period of peace and have been able to work without the `court-today-court-tomorrow’ situation of the last half of 2014.

“We have filed for stay-of-execution and that means the status quo remains and anything done is done at the actors’ peril.

“I can assure football-loving Nigerians that there is no reason to panic as we are in full charge and there is no trouble whatsoever.

“There is no order for the Giwa group to take over the NFF. In fact many of his so-called board members have called to dissociate themselves from the matter,’’ he said.

NAN recalls that the Giwa-led faction of Nigerian football stakeholders had gone to court over the Sept. 30, 2014 election and later withdrew the case some days later.

But the group later went to the Court of Arbitration for Sports, which threw out its case.