After lawyer to the claimants, Celsus Ukpong, moved the ex-parte motion on September 15, Justice Inyang Ekwo restrained Dare and Pinnick from conducting the NFF executive election scheduled for September 30 in Edo.
By Jeffrey Agbo
A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed February 6 to hear a suit filed against the Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, and former President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick.
The court was initially scheduled to hear the matter on Monday. Counsels to both parties, however, agreed on the new date.
In the motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/2021, Harrison Jalla, Victor Baribote, Austin Popo and National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF) had sued the NFF, Pinnick and Dare as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.
In the motion dated and filed on September 2, the claimants sought an interim order restraining the defendants, his agent, employees, staff, officials or electoral committee from organising or conducting any election into any executive office of the NFF pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
In the affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by Fayenengigha Jacob, a lawyer, he said that one of the complaints in the matter was the undemocratic manner in which the NFF was being constituted resulting in depriving the majority of the stakeholders and members of the NFF from having a say or contributing to the development of football in Nigeria.
According to him, the glory of Nigeria football has nosedived as a result of its undemocratic manner of the leadership of the said body.
Jacob said while the matter was still pending in court the defendants had gone ahead to announce and purportedly organise and conduct an election of the said body on September 30 in Edo.
READ ALSO:
Court stops Sunday Dare, Pinnick from conducting NFF executive election
He said the substance of the matter would be defeated should the said election slated for September go ahead without hearing of the pending motions and substantive matter.
After lawyer to the claimants, Celsus Ukpong, moved the ex-parte motion on September 15, Justice Inyang Ekwo restrained Dare and Pinnick from conducting the NFF executive election scheduled for September 30 in Edo.
Justice Ekwo had ordered them or any person, acting on their instruction, to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction, and fixed October 31 for hearing.
But the NFF filed an appeal against the court order.
In the notice of appeal marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/2021 dated September 27 and filed September 28, the NFF counsel, Patrick Mekako, prayed the court to set aside its earlier order.
Against this backdrop, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on September 29, vacated the lower court order restraining the conduct of the NFF election scheduled for September 30 in Edo.
Ibrahim Gusau emerged as the new president of the NFF following the conduct of the election on September 30 in Benin City, Edo.
Gusau, a member of CAF Organising Committee and Chairman, Football Associations chairmen, was said to have garnered 39 votes to succeed Pinnick.