Federal High Court Affirms Sanusi Mohammed As Taraba FA Chairman

Honourable Justice Stephen Daylop Pam of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Jalingo Judicial Division has affirmed Mahmud Sanusi Muhammed as the Chairman of Taraba State Football Association, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The court also restrained Timothy Heman Magaji from parading himself as the Taraba State FA boss forthwith and returning all the benefits (if any) illegally received while in the office as the Chairman.

A leadership crisis had rocked the Taraba State FA for over two years after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) played ignorance by recognizing Heman Magaji as Chairman and not Muhammed in two separate elections.

In a suit (No: FHC/JAL/CS/26/2020) filed on behalf of the plaintiff Mahud Sanusi Mohammed in November 2020, Counsel to Mohammed prayed the court to restrain Heman Magaji from parading himself as Taraba FA chairman and declare Mohammed as Chairman. And also to pay the sum of N200,000,000.00 (Two Hundred Million Naira Only) as general and aggravated damages) to the plaintiffs for the stress and psychological Trauma caused to them by the Defendants.

And lastly, the cost of N1,500,000 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) as the cost of this prosecuting this suit including the charges of the solicitors.

In its ruling, the judge, however, granted all prayers of the plaintiff (Mahmud Sanusi Mohammed), as that of N200million for damages and N1.5million as legal fees were not.

The court ruled that Mahmud Sanusi Mohammed was the winner of the Chairmanship Election of the Taraba State Football Association held on the 12th day of June 2019 at Bali Local Government of Taraba State having scored the highest number of votes cast.

Declared he (Mohammed) winner having won the aforementioned election and faulted the Nigeria Football Federation for recognizing Heman Magaji as the winner of the Chairmanship position of the Taraba State Football Association's Executive Elections held on the 12th day of June, 2019 by its letter dated the 26th day of September 2019 as wrong, illegal and capable of causing a breach of peace amongst the people of Taraba State.

The court further declared that the occupation of the chairmanship seat by Magaji as illegal, wrong and contrary to the spirit of fair play and the principles of democracy.