Tag: Giwa

•Orders Pinnick-led board to appeal
• Adjourns case indefinitely

A Federal High Court sitting in Jos, has granted the prayers of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to appeal against the ruling brought before it by Yahaya Adamu and Senator Obinna Ogba to nullify the September 30, 2014 General Assembly and subsequent Elective Congress in Warri that brought Amaju Pinnick to office as the NFF president.

The court equally distanced itself from the widespread claim that it removed the Pinnick led-borad on April 8, 2016 as bandied by the Chris Giwa led-NFF faction. But on the other hand admitted nullifying the election.

Both Adamu and Ogba representing the Giwa led-faction had approached the honourable court on February 3, 2016 to re-list the suit against Pinnick which they withdrew after the intervention of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

While giving its decision, presiding judge, Musa Haruna Kurya affirmed that a case has the character of a new one when it is re-listed.

“Since the plantiffs have requested the court to re-list the case, it is only proper that they should be patient enough to pursue the case till the end, giving the court the opportunity

to hear both sides of the case and reach a final judgement,” read part of the ruling.

On this basis, Kurya has adjourned the case indefinitely (Sine die).

“In particular, there is no existing court order removing the Amaju Pinnick-led board from office.

The public was simply misled when the court order of 23rd of October, 2014 was widely circulated in place of that of April 8, 2016 and the orders that the Giwa Faction is relying on are dead, by virtue of an established principle of law in Nigeria and, particularly, by the clear and unambigous pronouncments of the Federal High Court made on 30th October, 2014.”

Relisting the case was one of the three corresponding orders of the court’s decision on April 8 to set the records right after all the pending motions were dicontinued and struck out. There was also an order to extend the time for the plantiff to re-list the suit for hearing and determination.

Giwa had claimed earlier that he got a ruling from a high court in Jos nullifying Amaju Pinnick’s election as NFF President and also asking that he, Giwa, take over the glass house as the new NFF President.

But the high court in Jos have come out to deny the claims made by Giwa insisting that at no time did the court mention Amaju Pinnick’s name.

The planned move by the self claimed Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ambassador, Chris Giwa to take over at the Federation’s Glass House Secretariat at Wuse Zone 7, Abuja yesterday was aborted as he was whisked away by security operatives that was guiding the place since the Jos High Court declared the Amaju Pinnick election null and void.

Despite the NFF President Pinnick quickly check mating that court declaration by appealing the Jos High Court judgment Giwa was hell bent in claiming what he believed was his mandate, which prompted him to storm the NFF Secretariat yesterday before he was stopped by the Police on guard at the NFF Secretariat.

Ambassador Giwa had arrived Glass House at exactly 4pm shortly

after the bailiff had formally served the General Secretary of the federation, Dr Sanusi Mohammed, the order of the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, inspected several offices and assured the battery of journalists around that he would formally resume on Monday.

However, acting on order from above, the entrance gate was put under lock and key, holding him inside the compound until the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Wuse Station, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Irek Sunday, arrived at around 4.30pm and promptly whisked him away with his own SUV car.

Giwa who had stormed the NFF Secretariat accompanied with few of his members told battery of  sports reporters that besieged the NFF that he was there to  formally assert the order of the court on his Mandate.

“You are aware that it has been in news getting to one month today that we got a ruling from High Court restoring all the orders granted to us sometimes in 2014 which gave me the permit and right to be here today.”

“I did not come to the Glass House with police but as you aware that police has been here to do their duty. Now that I am here, what it means is that I have resumed fully by the Grace of God.

“However, I will fully resume on Monday and have enough time to address the press. I came today because of my schedule and as I said, whatever words I have for Nigerians  will be channeled to the media on Monday,” Giwa disclosed.

Players of Giwa FC are grumbling over the uncertainties hanging over them as the Jos club will be thrown out of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) should they fail to honour a second straight league match this weekend.

Several players of the club also told AfricanFootball.com they are unhappy they have not been paid salaries for several months now.

At the weekend, Wikki Tourists walked over Giwa at the Ilorin Stadium after the Jos club stayed away from the match venue following their banishment from the Rwang Pam Stadium in Jos on account of crowd trouble there recently.

Should Giwa fail to honour their next game away at Abia Warriors on Sunday, they will be expelled from the league as clearly stipulated in the rules of the competition.

One of the disturbed Giwa players said their fate is hanging in a balance.

“We don’t know what next for us here. All we do is to go to training and come back. We are not happy at all,” he told AfricanFootball.com

“We went to Jos stadium last weekend for the game against Wikki and there were no referees for the game. We the players are in dilemma right now and every day we get frustrated,” he added.

Niger Tornadoes head coach, Abdul Usman Biffo has said his side will not make mistake against Giwa FC.

The newcomers will host the Tin City side in midweek’s top flight matchday 2 clash at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja, Kogi state.

Biffo said the reality of modern football shows the team that wins match is the one that uses well its scoring chance and not the other way round.

“The determining factor that results in victory is the ability for one to take its scoring chance in a match. Mostly, if one fails to bury the available chance such person is usually punished at the end of the day.

“That was what happened to us in Jos on Sunday against Plateau United we paid dearly for our wastefulness in the match. Against another Jos side, Giwa FC in Lokoja on Wednesday we will not be wasteful at goal.

“Of course, we cannot afford to draw or lose to Giwa FC after the NPFL matchday 1 clash loss to newcomers, Plateau United. Giwa FC cannot get anything from the match, we will turn them back empty-handed to Jos.

“Giwa FC lost matchday 1 clash at home to FC Ifeanyiubah and will come all out to make amend. Unfortunately, they are my former side, I know them quite well and they do not know me that’s added advantage to further nail the side,” said the former Giwa FC and Kogi United coach to supersport.com.

The newly promoted side lost their NPFL debut clash 1-2 to fellow newcomers, Plateau United on Saturday in Jos.

Giwa defeated Shooting Stars 1-0 in a Week 37 game of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Sunday to stay in sight of playing international football next year.

Giwa are now third on the league table with 63 points from 37 games.

Charles Okoro was the match winner for the Jos club with a 65th minute strike.

Shooting Stars best chance to score in the game fell on Ibrahim Salawu in the 20th minute after a poor clearance by a Giwa defender fell to him at the edge of the box, but he fired over the bar.