Giwa Lauds Buhari, Dalung, Appeals For Non Release of Funds

By Admin Following the response of the Nigerian government to the looming threat of ban placed on Nigeria by FIFA, the Nigeria Football Federation board led by Ambassador Chris Giwa has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung for their adherence to the application of the rule of law in putting an end to the leadership tussle that has beset the NFF in recent times. Amb. Giwa who made this known through a statement released to newsmen by the Special Adviser on Media, Victor Iroele, the embattled president appreciated the conviction exhibited by Solomon Dalung by standing on the tenets of the rule of law and defending strongly the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in ensuring that the legally recognized board was respected and given a pride of place. “We want to sincerely thank and commend His Execellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung for standing by the rule of law, and defence of our constitution at all times. “ This has become necessary in the face of overt pressures, outright lies, falsehood, blackmail, intrigues, propaganda and orchestrated campaign of Calumny against the government, His Execellency President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and the Honorable Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung have stood on the path of our constitution and the rule of law, “Giwa stated. He also commended the efforts of all those who stood with him, stating that it was no personality battle but a decision for the good of the association and called for all to uphold the rule of law in the country. “We want to appreciate and thank all those, who have stood by the country and its constitution in this whole crisis, and we want to remind everyone, once again, this fight is not about Ambassador Chris Giwa, but about the soul of our football and our constitution. This fight is not about the people of Plateau State and the rest of the country, as some people, have tried mischievously to skew the narrative in that direction.’’ “We want to restate once again that our constitution is our grand norm, denigrating our Supreme Court under whatever colouration is a big threat to our existence as a people and our democracy. We want to remind the government that we are the legally recognized board of the NFF based on the orders of the Federal High Court sitting in Jos, which was also affirmed by the Supreme Court on April 27,2018,”he asserted. However, he further appealed to government to desist from providing the Amaju Pinnick led board funds as it was not legally recognized as the leadership of the football body. “It is in the light of these observations that we want to appeal to government through the Honorable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung not to release any funds to the Amaju Pinnick led board purportedly elected on September 30, 2014 because the board does not exist in law. Releasing funds to them will amount to an exercise in illegality, which the Honorable minister himself being a lawyer should know, “he added. Source: leadership.ng