Chris Giwa's NFF dismisses Keyamo’s claims

Counsel to the Ambassador Chris Giwa led Board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Habila Ardzard Esq. has urged the general public to disregard the press release issued by Mr. Festus Keyamo Esq., saying it’s bereft of truth and lacking in good faith.

Keyamo in a release on Saturday said that Amaju Pinnick led board of the NFF has not been sacked by a Federal High Court in Jos.

But Ardzard in a release made available to the press on Sunday stated that:  “Our attention has been drawn to a Press release issued by Festus Keyamo Esq. in which he claimed that the ruling of the Federal High Court sitting in Jos delivered on the 8th April, 2016 did not remove Amaju Pinnick and restore Ambassador Chris Giwa to office as the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The logic of Mr. Keyamo was that neither Ambassador Chris Giwa nor Amaju Pinnick were parties to the case. 

"Ordinarily we would have paid no attention to that press release same being a wolf cry and a desperation by the Amaju Pinnick led illegal and judicially nullified board of the NFF to hold on to anything to keep is doomed and sinking boat afloat. However, in order to correct the flawed logic of Mr. Keyamo which not only stands the Law on its head but is also bemusing, we deemed it necessary to make this statement.

“Firstly, Yahaya Adama and Obinna Ogba who are Plaintiffs in the suit at the Federal High Court, Jos are members of the Ambassador Chris Giwa led Board of the NFF and they instituted the suit in a representative capacity and that is on behalf of all members of their Board including Ambassador Chris Giwa.

“The benefit they got from the Ruling of 8th April 2016 inures to all members of their board. How then can Ambassador Chris Giwa be said not to be a party to the case? This assertion to our mind is a mischievous interpretation of the Law if not a shallow appreciation of same.

“Secondly, the orders which the Federal High court sitting in Jos restored by its ruling of 8th April 2016 were those delivered by the same court on 19th September, 2014 which inter alia compelled the Honorable Minister of Sports and all the 37 State and FCT FAs to give recognition to the Ambassador Chris Giwa led Board as the duly elected and constituted Board of the NFF and restrained the former from interfering with the latter in the discharge of the functions of its offices. "The ruling of the Court delivered on the 8th April 2016 also restored the order made by the Court on 23rd October,2014 which nullified and set aside the Warri Election of 30th September, 2014 which produced the Amaju Pinnick led purported Board of the NFF. What this means is that as of now in the eye of the law the Amaju Pinnick-led purported Board of the NFF does not exist and the only recognized Board of the NFF is the one led by Ambassador Chris Giwa.

 “It therefore smacks of mischief for Mr. Keyamo to posit that the said ruling of the Federal High Court in Jos did not remove Amaju Pinnick and install Ambassador Chris Giwa as President of the NFF. Counsel as ministers in the temple of justice owe a duty to interpret the Law correctly to their Clients and guide them to respect the rule of law. This way our nation will not slip into the morass of impunity.

“Throughout the period of this very avoidable dispute in the NFF, the Ambassador Chris Giwa led board had conducted itself with candor and decorum always believing in the sanctity and triumph of the Law. If those who were aggrieved with the emergence of the Ambassador Chris Giwa led Board on 26 August 2014 had followed the laid down Mechanism for the Ventilation of grievances from the conduct of NFF Elections encapsulated in the NFF Electoral guidelines and Electoral Code hardly would any dispute have arisen.

“Similarly, if those who were custodians of power in the NFF had obeyed the orders of the Federal High Court sitting in Jos delivered on 19th September, 2014 which restrained the Conduct of the Warri Election of 30th September 2014 which produced Amaju Pinnick and his purported Board, the so called dispute would not have escalated to the point where we are today. The lesson to be drawn from all these is that we must all endeavor to always follow due process and allow the rule of Law to prevail. Finally, we urge members of the general public to disregard the press release by Mr. Keyamo same being bereft of truth and lacking in good faith.”