NFF Crisis Deepens as Giwa, Pinnick Trade Varying Ban from Football Matters

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The long-drawn power tussle at Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) took another dramatic turn on Thursday, as Amaju Pinnick’s executive committee slammed a five-year ban on factional leader, Ambassador Chris Giwa, whose group fired back with a 10-year hammer of the opposing body.

The day’s chain of events began when Pinnick’s group announced that Giwa and four others have been banned from football matters for five years for ‘Illegally representing the NFF, but the rival body alleged in return that the others are impostors.

That came after the disciplinary committee of Pinnick’s group issued a communiqué with details of the outcome of their meeting, with several points on ‘the matter between Nigeria Football Federation and CHRISTOPHER GIWA, MUAZU SULEYMAN, YAHAYA ADAMA, SANI FEMA and JOHNSON EFFIONG.’

The committee stated that Christopher Giwa, Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong are found guilty of breaching Art. 69(1) of the NFF Statutes by taking football matters to the ordinary court and failing to submit to the jurisdiction of FIFA and the NFF.

The communiqué sated in part: “that Christopher Giwa, Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong are found guilty of illegally representing the NFF in breach of Art. 40 of the NFF Statutes, when they without due authorization and mandate purported to contract a Law Firm, Messrs Leslie Cohen & Associates of Illovo Law Chambers, 4 Fricker Road, Ground Floor, South Africa in the name of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and refused to pay for services whereby the said Messrs Leslie Cohen & Associates commenced proceedings against the NFF for the sum of $100000 being legal fees for professional services rendered in the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Local Division, Johannesburg.

“And based on the findings and in Line with the provision of Art 65 (3) of the NFF Statutes 2010, the NFF Disciplinary Committee hereby pronounces the following sanctions on the following persons; that Christopher Giwa, Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong are hereby banned from taking part in any football related activity for a period of Five (5) years.”

Giwa’s group fired back by revealing ‘DECISIONS OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE NIGERIA FOOTBALL FEDERATION AT ITS MEETING OF THURSDAY, 12TH MAY 2016.

‘In the matter between: Nigeria Football Federation and 1. Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, 2. Mr. Seyi Akinwunmi, 3. Alhaji Ahmed Yusuf Fresh, 4. Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, 5. Alhaji Inuwa Sheriff Ahalal, 6. Mr Christopher Green, 7. Hon Suleiman Yahaya Kwande, 8. Alhaji Baba Gana.’

A communiqué released after the meeting, which had in attendance, Pharmacist Lanre Amid Alege, Barrister Chukwuma Nwaozuzu, Barrister Oladele Gbadeyan, Barrister Effiong Oboho, stated in part that: “Parties were invited to appear before the Organising and Disciplinary Committee.

“They did not respond, neither did they send representations. After a very careful review of the allegations against them, the committee has no option than to reach summary decisions on them:

“That the former members of the Amaju Pinnick group have been found guilty of impersonating the NFF despite being served the orders of the Federal High Court Jos which on the 8th April 2016 ordered the nullification of the 30th September election that purportedly brought them into office;

“That they have variously and severally continued the breach in perpetuity against the laws of the land; That the Executive Committee of the NFF should report the matter of impersonation, which are criminal in nature, to the Nigeria Police and the Directorate of State Security Service (SSS);

“Based on the findings above, the NFF Disciplinary Committee hereby pronounces the following sanctions on the above named persons: The eight persons are hereby banned from taking part in any football related activity for a period of seven years each.”

Source: Sportsday

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