Tag Archives: Chris Giwa

Anti-Football Activities: Giwa, Baribote, Others Face Ban

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said on Wednesday that members of the Chris Giwa-led board of the NFF would face disciplinary action for anti-football activities.

 

A communique issued at the end of the NFF extraordinary meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday said that Giwa and his group would be bringing Nigerian football to ridicule and disrepute by their dealings.

It said that Giwa, Yahaya Adama, Muazu Suleyman, Sani Fema and Effiong Johnson would appear in person before the NFF disciplinary committee to defend themselves for contravention of the NFF statutes and other extant football laws.

“They will face the committee for committing acts such as illegally contracting a law firm in South Africa in the name of the NFF and refusing to pay for the services.

“This got to a point where judgment was given against the NFF by a court in South Africa.

“The action violated the statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA, CAF, WAFU, and NFF.

“For aiding and abetting the above gross misconduct, thus collectively contravening provisions of NFF, WAFU, CAF and FIFA statutes, the General Assembly referred few others to the NFF Committee on Ethics and Fairplay.

“The others are Rumson Baribote, Shehu Adamu, Ben Agary and Jide Fashion, ” the communique said.

It noted that the decision to invite the accused was in the spirit of fair hearing and in pursuant to Article 37 (1) but in the spirit of Article 37 (3) of the NFF statutes.

It also said that the congress had reversed its earlier decision aimed at barring non-members of the Congress from contesting for positions on the NFF Executive Committee following appeals by major stakeholders.

“The clause adopted at the 71st NFF General Assembly held in Abuja on Dec. 16 2015, was suspended.

“The clause is aimed at ensuring and guaranteeing professionalism in the administration of football but misinterpreted as barring non-members of the congress from contesting for positions on the NFF executive committee.

“It has therefore been suspended pending ratification at the next NFF General Assembly.

“For the avoidance of doubt the congress further affirmed that all eligible and qualified persons under the NFF statutes are eligible to contest elections, ” it added.

The congress expressed confidence in the executive committee of the NFF under the leadership of Amaju Pinnick and unanimously re-affirmed the election of his board members as was done at NFF elective congress in Warri, Delta on Sept. 30, 2014

The congress expressed its gratitude to the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Sen Obinna Ogba, Senator Samuel Anyawu and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for their support.

 

(NAN)

Giwa Versus NFF : Court Adjourns Hearing To March 10

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A Federal High Court sitting in Jos on Wednesday adjourned the case filed by Chris Giwa to relist his case against Amaju Pinnick, President, Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), to March 10, 2016.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that Giwa had approached the court to declare him the President of the NFF and, the election of Aug. 26, 2014 that brought him, be upheld.

 

The case was withdrawn following pressures from major football stakeholders and threat by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), to sanction the country.

 

But Giwa, through his counsel, Mr Habila Ardzard, filed a request that the case be relisted.

 

Counsel to NFF and the Ministry of Sports, Mr Damon Dashe, filed an affidavit and requested for more time to prepare for the defense.

 

The defense counsel also requested for an adjournment to enable the lead counsel Festus Keyamo who was absent in court on Wednesday, to appear in the next hearing.

 

The judge, Justice Musa Kurya, accepted the request and adjourned the case to March 10 for hearing.

 

 

(NAN)

NFF President Pinnick, Chris Giwa Exchange Fisticuffs In Show Of Shame

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The meeting called yesterday by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung had all the trappings of reopening the already settled leadership crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). It took a dangerous turn when the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa who is laying claim to the same office almost engaged each other in fisticuffs.

 

 

Pinnick and his greatest challenger, Giwa were locked in a battle for the soul of the NFF after the election in Warri, Delta State on September 30, 2014 which produced the present board. The Confederation of African Football and FIFA have both recognised the Amaju Pinnick-led board. Giwa lost his case both in Fifa and the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS. And this was after he had withdrawn his case from a Jos court when Fifa moved to ban Nigeria.

 

 

For more than one year peace reigned in Nigerian football and the meeting the minister called was generally condemned by football stakeholders who said the action was tantamount to waking up a dead horse which could trigger off another bad blood.

 

 
Giwa was laying claim to the NFF top seat, saying he was duly elected after the August 26, 2014 controversial election in Abuja in which delegates massively boycotted.

 

 

Dalung, a known friend of Giwa back home from Plateau State who just assumed office late last year seemingly reopened the case and initiated an unnecessary peace move that turned out an anti-climax. between the two warring factions. During the meeting, tempers rose, resulting in altercations from both men who called each other unprintable names.

 

 

But for the intervention of Dalung who sat in between the two angry men, the situation would have resulted in the two men using their fists as they wanted.

 

 

However, after the fracas which lasted for about five minutes, the meeting continued. After long hours of deliberation, the meeting was deadlocked. The Minister told reporters that the meeting will reconvene next week Wednesday.

 

 

He asked both parties to maintain the peace and that he will try to resolve the problem in the interest of football and the country.

 

 

According to him, the meeting has given him the opportunity to hear from both parties.

 

 

On what FIFA would do if the crisis persists, Dalung said he knows that the world body rules over the game adding that they will also be interested to see that the right thing was done.

 

 

“I have the will power and the political power to resolve the issue and I am optimistic that this issue will be resolved. We have decided to hear from them because this is a democracy, if we were in a military dictatorship I may have just decreed and asked one party to step down.”

 

 

Credit : Vanguard