FIFA Ban Looms Again as Court Injunction May Stop NFF Election

There appear to be fresh moves to scuttle the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) elections scheduled to hold in Katsina on Thursday through court injunctions.

And if those opposed to the September 20 NFF board elections succeed in spoiling the gathering, Nigeria will not be too far from an abrupt FIFA ban.

According to THISDAY, they are in possession of one of the court papers filed by those who are against the elections in Katsina. They are asking the Federal High Court in Jos to stop the election as they purportedly have a non-existing Supreme Court judgment in Chris Giwa’s favor as the duly elected NFF president.

Just last August, the Federal Government assured FIFA that Nigeria as one of the affiliates of the world football governing body would do everything to abide by its statutes and rules.

Then Nigeria’s Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo who was standing in for President Muhammadu Buhari who was on vacation in the UK, pledged to FIFA the government’s unalloyed support for the Amaju Pinnick-led board of the NFF as the duly elected NFF board. Osinbajo further assured FIFA that everything would be done to ensure that the board performed its role without any interference.

It was based on this that FIFA pulled back on hitting Nigeria with a ban from all football matters.

But ahead of the September elections, FIFA, as well as CAF, have already sent out a delegation to be on the ground to monitor the NFF elections.

As at the weekend, the electoral committee of the NFF released the list of all qualified candidates to contest for various positions.