Statute Violation: Pinnick Punishment Should Be Greater - Ex-NFF Vice-president

Former Nigeria Football Federation NFF) Vice-president, Barrister Rumson Victor Baribote laughed of a statement credited to the federation President, Amaju Pinnick that statute violators would be banned or expelled.

The FIFA Council member in a press statement threatened football stakeholders who had violated the statute.

Reacting to the Warri born football administartor, Baribote said the former Delta State FA Chairman who had violated the statute several times should be expelled for gross violation.

"Before FIFA there is a country. Nigeria is a sovereign nation and one of the quality of a nation is that it must be independent to make or make decision concerning the country.

"Can anybody goes to court if one's right is trampled upon? The answer is yes. Section 1.1 of Nigeria Constitution said any law that is in conflict with the Constitution, the Constitution prevails. So whenever there is conflict between NFF statute and Nigeria Constitution, the Constitution prevails. But it is also laughable for NFF President to start talking about violator of the statute while he is the first person that supposed to be banned or expelled for violating the same statute. Article 3 of the statute is very clear, it talks about neutrality and non-descrimanation. It was alleged that during Amaju's time, we have several national team supporters clubs. Meanwhile, we had just one before his tenure. It was alleged that he masterminded the several supporters clubs.

"He descriminated against the Nigeria Players Union, Article 3.1 said descrimination of any kind against any private person, a group of people, ethnic, gender, language, religion or politics or any other is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion. Our Players Union was descriminated. And there is no provision in the Nigeria Constitution also talks about discrimination. That means the statute and Constitution are in agreement that they should not descriminate. So, if there is anyone that should be punished. It should be Amaju Pinnick who has violated the NFF statute several times. He descriminated the Players Union, he appointed several people into the board and as Chairmen in different League bodies as against Article 12C, 13B and Article 33 Sub 6.

"So, it is laughable for someone who had several times violated the statute to turn around and threaten people that they will be punished when the Constitution is very clear.

"The Constitution is very clear on all these international bodies as they are considered as international treaties and until they are domesticated and enacted into the law by the National Assembly they can not stand as law. And anywhere that Nigeria Constitution is in conflict with the statute, we rely on the Constitution. So, Amaju punishment should be greater because he has violated the statuteany times." He concluded