Task Force of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN) Taskforce led by Harrison Jalla has urged federal government of Nigeria and the world football ruling body, FIFA to stop the forthcoming Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Elective Congress slated for Benin-City on Friday, September 30.
Addressing the media in Abuja ahead of the elections, former Second Vice President of NFF, Victor Baribote in conjunction with Harrison Jalla threatened that anyone that involve in orgainising the scheduled NFF elections on 30th September in Benin City will be charge for contempt of court due to existing Court Order that already stop the elections which he claimed the NFF did not want to obey.
The litigants while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday stated that appropriate steps have been taken to implement the court order.
“PFAN Taskforce has taken appropriate steps and has duly informed all relevant agencies of government of threat to cause a breach of the peace defying the court order. We are also exploring all possibilities within the ambit of the law to ensure that those who are already defying court order would face the consequences of their actions,” Jalla said.
Chief Rumson Baribote speaking in the same vein disclosed that “to avoid another long drawn crisis in our football, we are calling on the FG and FIFA to intervene. They should be made to implement President Buhari’s directive to expand the congress membership and give other Nigerians opportunity to contest elections.”
“Only FIFA and Federal Government intervention can solve the problem as it is,” the applicants reiterated.
Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo of Federal High Court, Abuja had on Thursday 15th September, 2022 put the NFF Elections on hold pending when the matter in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/2022 between Harrison Jalla, Victor Baribote, Austin Popo as Applicants and NFF, Amaju Pinnick, Ministry of Sports as Defendants. The Applicants approached the court in 2021 demanding an amendment to NFF statute 2010 for equal representation for all five statutory bodies making up the NFF in term of voting rights on the Board of NFF.
The court had adjourned the hearing of the case to October 21, 2022 but court in its wisdom granted Applicants an ex-parte order stopping the federation from holding Elective Congress in Benin City.