NFF Electoral Appeals sack Pinnick, Akinwunmi

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Electoral Appeals Committee has nullified the election of Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick conducted on the 30th September in Warri.

Chairman of the committee, Barrister Okechukwu Ajunwa, in a three hour ruling pronounced also that all candidates in the 26th August and 30th September disputed elections stand to re-contest the bye-election which he fixed for a week from today.

By this decision, former NFA Secretary General, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, winner of the 26th August election Ambassador Chris Giwa and the disqualified presidential aspirant in the 30th September elections, Shehu Dikko who was adjudged to have been wrongfully disqualified will enjoy a fresh breathe to contest the bye-election.

The ruling also gave a fresh window to Barrister Iyke Igbokwe to contest the election while Mr. Felix Anyansi-Agwu and his Kano counterpart, Inuwa Shariff got their elections nullified while they were also disqualified from contesting the bye-election.

The committee ruled that both states can only have one representative on the NFF board, acknowledging that the mentioned states already have representatives in Emeka Inyama and Ahmed Kawu.

However, Ajunwa ruled that the bye-elections be held in Abuja.

The positions to be filled in the bye-election are:

1. President,
2. First Vice President,
3. Board member South East and,
4. Board member North West.

The election of Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi as first vice president of the NFF in Warri also got a knock. His election suffered the gavel based on the petition of Alhaji Suleiman Muazu.

The re-election was however hung on one clause for all the candidates that will re-contest. All cleared candidates with existing cases against the NFF in courts within Nigeria or at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) , must withdraw such cases forthwith, before they can participate in the bye elections.

Ajunwa’s ruling became public less than 24 hours after a similar report from the other members of the committee upheld the Warri elections and dismissed all appeals. This ‘report’ was a one and a half page document issued by the Media section of the NFF.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Thursday before delivering his main report, Mr. Ajunwa said other committee members who “hastily” upheld the September polls are not legal practitioners and were ignorant of the law.

“None of them is a lawyer, I am the lawyer and I know the law, I have gathered the results of the committee and I will read them out in accordance with FIFA and CAF rules,” Mr. Ajunwa told reporters in Abuja.

He declared: “The elections of Amaju Pinnick is hereby nullified and he is barred from parading himself as the President of the Nigeria Football Federation hence.”

Mr. Pinnick said his decision was based on the fact that the Electoral Committee for the election was illegally composed and that no FIFA observer was on ground during the election.

 He also ruled that the election was marred by violence and abuse.

He questioned why the poll was held in Delta State, the home of Mr. Pinnick, and said another contestant for the office, Shehu Dikko, was wrongly disqualified on the elections day.

Journalists who covered the presentation of the report praised the transparency with which the chairman of the committee.(GONG NEWS)