Court Adjourns Badminton Federation Ruling To January 2022

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the case of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) and the caretaker committee till 17th January, 2022, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Recall that the leadership crisis rocking the (BFN) has taken a new twist as the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declared the Caretaker Committee of the BFN illegal, restraining the committee from performing any badminton function.

This was confirmed in the court injunction dated 25th October 2021 addressed to the sports minister Sunday Dare, the BFN, the electoral committee of the sports ministry, chairman election guidelines committee and former BFN president, Francis Orbih.

The injunction was signed by the presiding Judge, Hon. Justice I.E Ekwo, who also summoned Francis Orbih and others to appear in court on Friday 29th October 2021 to show cause for the contempt.

It should be noted that, the sports ministry earlier appointed former BFN president Francis Orbih alongside 12 others as caretaker committee that will pilot the affairs of the Badminton federation till the current crisis and in-house fighting rocking the federation would be resolved.

One of the defence council of BFN, Barrister Joseph Akaangee who briefed journalists on the adjournment of the case in Abuja, explained that the court case was a result of certain irregularities during the elections of the badminton Federation of Nigeria.

He said, “This matter has been on for the past two months. Infact the courts gave an order that the election should not be held, but later the defendant went ahead and constituted a caretaker committee. The regulations guiding the election do not recognize the caretaker committee, but they went ahead despite the order that they should not conduct the election.

On 25th of October the caretaker committee should not function and no arm of government whether minister, agencies or any private organization should ever deal with that caretaker committee.

Similarly, Barrister Lawrence John, said’’ the order of the court restraining the defendant from doing anything pending the determination of the motion on notice.

“The last time the court advised that we should go if we can settle this matter amicably out of court, while the settlement is on, they went ahead and constituted this caretaker committee.  They don’t have the power to operate and to be recognized by any organization, and the matter has been adjourned to 17th of January 2022.