Nigeria, a Nation united by football is anxiously looking forward to the 2018 World cup in Russia. The hopes it's citizens, rests on the shoulders of 23 ambassadors whose mission statement is to defend national pride and wipe away the bitter memories of hunger, frustrations, poverty and insecurity that has swept across a land where the rich also cry.
In the midst of these hopeful generation, are are a few individuals whose desperation and desire to hold on to power has not only blindfolded them from realities but has instead motivated them to fight for a mandate gotten from an illegal election of September 30, 2014.
These men, led by a former chairman of the Delta state football commission Amaju Pinnick are daily paying through their nose to sustain and retain a dying dynasty whose hopes of survival now lies on a string.
How long they live to achieve this, depends on time and only time can determine their true destiny.
The supreme court ruling of April 27, has clearly set aside the appeal court ruling that granted them immunity of office and has ceded powers back to the Chris Giwa led NFF executive committee whose election held in Chida, in August 2014, had graciously survived the test of time and is looking good to usher in a new lease of life for Nigeria football.
The Nigerian government can no longer pretend like they are not aware of the processes leading to this recent judgement as it will set a very bad precedent for our nascent democracy.
The fear of what becomes of our football with barely weeks to the fast approaching FIFA world cup in Russia is understandable but beyond this fears, lives the unanswered question of what lies in wait for all of us, if we refuse to respect the ruling of the apex court of the land.
In Page 25 paragraph 2, of his lordship ( CJN ) lead judgement, he stated thus.
1. "I have to point out that by restoring the suit to the cause list, it means a restoration of all the orders in the proceedings in the suit (at the federal high court Jos) irrespective of the fact that the matter may be heard denovo before another court"
Simply explained, the chief justice of Nigeria, Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen has directed that, the contempt of court order and the other order dissolving the present Amaju Pinnick led NFF executive committee, brought before the federal high court in Jos, on the 19th of September, 2014 be relisted or restored.
Now for the benefit of doubts, we are compelled by necessity to put forward these two orders
1. ORDER ONE
'For disobeying the Order of this Court made on Sept. 19, 2014, enjoining and restraining you jointly and severally from convening or holding a general assembly or extraordinary general assembly you are therefore charged with contempt of court.
Also, for holding an election into the board of the NFA pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed in this case.”
2. ORDER 2
The second order was on October 23rd 2014, when the appellants Obinna Ogba and Yahaya Adama, went to court to say the congress and subsequent election was held in disregard to the order of September 19th 2014 and prayed the court, to annul the election of September 30th, 2014, which the judge duly obliged and ruled in their favours.
By that singular ruling Chris Giwa led board temporarily took charge of the glasshouse and rendered Pinnick and his board members homeless, a situation which saw the quick intervention of the world football governing body ( FIFA), who threatened to place an indefinite ban on Nigeria football.
Former president Goodluck Jonathan intervened in the matter and an agreement was reached which saw the appellants withdraw the case from court for National interest.
However the Pinnick led board failed to keep to the agreements reached, prompting the appellants to return to court, to restore the suit to the the cause list.
In doing this, they were clever enough, to restore the following
1. The initial order of contempt of court against the Aminu Maigari led board, the plateau state FA representing the 37 FA chairmen and former sports minister, Tamuno Danagogo
2. Restoring the order of October 23, 2014, dissolving the NFF executive committee and granting the Chris Giwa led executive committee powers to take charge of the glass house.
Therefore the April 27, ruling of the supreme court restoring the suit to the cause list, means a relisting of all the orders in the proceedings as listed in number 1 and 2 above.
Thesame ruling has also barred the present executive committee of the NFF from conducting any election into the executive committee of the NFF pending the determination of a fresh suit before a federal high court.
It is only if and when the case is heard afresh and judgement is passed that any thing can be done to the contrary.
The Giwa board, by this ruling, seriously holds sway and have the authority of the court of the land to decide the next twist of events.
Whether or not Giwa and his team decide to enforce this ruling should not be viewed as a sign of cowardice but of maturity in the face of the fast approaching World cup.
Ambassador Chris Giwa is pained by insinuations in some quarters that his activities or otherwise was responsible for Nigeria's inability to qualify for the 2015 Africa cup of Nations in Gabon. He is aware of the negativity daily painted by the opposition and has resolved to stay calm and watch till after Nigeria's world cup campaign is done and dusted.
That said, it is rather foolhardy to imagine that Amaju Pinnick and his soldiers of deceit and falsehood can continue to believe they have a monopoly of authority to run Nigeria football.
The Nigeria masses must rise and fight this obvious impunity orchestrated by a few individuals who are desperate to perpetually remain in office.
We have board members that have been in the corridors of Nigeria football for close to two decades, we have individuals that feed fat daily on the wealth of our football and have left our youths to suffer untold hardship due to their dictatorial tendencies
For how long can Nigerians stay quiet in the face of this obvious slavery. The time to support sanity and fight for justice is now!
For Amaju Pinnick and his cohorts, the time to drop the gauntlet and leave Nigeria football alone is nigh.
This battle cry must be shared among all true stakeholders of the beautiful game as we unite to fight these individuals, who are bent on staying put as if Nigerian football is now their personal properties.
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