Sheathe Your Swords, Minister Warns NFF, Jaja

Following the current crisis rocking the country’s football after an Abuja Federal High Court declared Nigeria Football Federation and the Nigeria Premier League, NPL, illegal, the Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, has warned the warring factions to sheathe their swords now or risk Federal Government’s wrath.

Justice Donatus Okorowo last Friday ruled in the case brought by Dr. Sam Sam Jaja that neither the NFF nor NPL had any statutory recognition and barred anybody from parading himself as officer of the bodies.

The Minister warned both parties to come together and bridge their differences if they do not want the dangling axe of the government to fall on them.

“I want to call the warring parties to come together and settle their differences amicably. We respect the court of the land but we will have no other option than to wade into the matter if those who are involved in the matter fail to find solution to the crises,” warned Abdullahi.

He said: “The truth of the matter is that both warring parties have ego problem. But we will call them together to settle the matter. I think it is time they sheathed their swords and start to work together as a family,” he said.

—Bimbo Ajayi