Why Pinnick Is Reluctant To Vacate Court Order - Former NFF Vice-president

Why Pinnick Is Reluctant To Vacate Court Order - Former NFF Vice-president

By Niyi Busari

Former Nigeria Premier League (NPL) Chairman and Second Vice-president of NFF, Rumson Victor Baribote has revealed the reason behind the reluctance of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick in vacating the Bayelsa High Court exparte order stopping the federation from holding Congress.

Baribote in an exclusive interview with BSN Sports alleged that the former CAF Vice President whose second term tenure expires in two months, hopes to benefit from the stopage of the September, 2022 NFF Elective Congress.

"The Federal High Court sitting in Bayelsa since January 10, 2022 advised that they (NFF) should resolve the matter, settle with claimants and come back to the court, but he refused. What step did he take since January? He intentionally left it, thinking that if there is crisis, it will benefit him." Baribote alleges 

He added, "He believed that he has FIFA connection and if they come in to set up Normalisation Committee, If there is no elections, he will benefit from it.

He continued, "The judge in January gave the ruling in the presence of NFF representatives, Head of Legal Department of NFF, Okey Obi and Ade from A.U Mustapha chamber but they pretended as if nothing happens until when the Congress men threatened to revoke their mandate.

Baribote said that the Congress men who are not comfortable with his (Pinnick) attitude towards vacation of the court order stood up relying on NFF statute that gave them the power to revoke their mandate when necessary.

Backing up his arguement, he pointed out Article 23 of the NFF Statute, which reads, "the General Assembly has the following area of authority, 23 Sub-section (i) reads, the Congress has the right revoking the mandate of member of a body of the NFF.

Bothered on whether the elections could hold or not, 28 FA Chairmen after expiration of their first 14-day ultimatum sent another signed notice to the NFF asking the Federation to take action on vacating the court exparte order so that the Elections would be held. The Congress men threatened to remove the board if they fail to do so.