Giwa takes over as court sacks Pinnick as NFF president

Chris Giwa has taken over the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after the federal high court in Jos relisted the suit by Adama Yahaya and Obinna Ogba against the minister of sports as well as the president and general secretary of the federation.

In his judgement, Justice Musa Haruna Kurya reinstated Chris Giwa as NFF president until the resolution of the court case. He also restored the order that the election and congress of September 30, 2014, be nullified.

TheCable can confirm that Giwa has already gone to the glasshouse to officially take over as president of the federation.

NFF later released a statement to say it had moved “swiftly” to file an appeal, a motion to vacate the order and a motion for a stay-of-execution against the judgement.

“However, since an appeal, a motion to vacate the order and a stay-of-execution has been filed, on the same day as the judgement, the status quo remains,” read the statement, signed by Seyi Akinwunmi, first vice president of the federation.

“This is a sad one primarily because we have enjoyed a period of peace and have been able to work without the court-today-court-tomorrow situation of the last half of 2014.

“We have filed for stay-of-execution and that means the status quo remains and anything done is done at the actors’ peril. I can assure football-loving Nigerians that there is no reason to panic as we are in full charge and there is no trouble whatsoever.

“There is no order for the Giwa group to take over the Glass House. In fact many of his so called board members have called to dissociate themselves from the matter.”