Court Strikes Out Case Against Maigari

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has struck out an application filed before it by the National Association of Nigerian Footballers, NANF to re-list the case instituted against the chairman of Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari and others.

In the substantive suit, the case was instituted against the NFF and its officials urging the court to allow the election that brought them to office on the ground that the election was conducted illegally.

Consequently, Justice Okon Abang, on 6 September 2010, declared the election null and void.

He also ordered the then Inspector-General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo to arrest Alhaji Maigari, the president of the NFF and other elected members parading themselves as officials of NFF.

In addition, Justice Abang ordered the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports to appoint the most senior administrative officer to run the affairs of the NFF pending when a fresh election would be conducted.

In the aftermath of this ruling, the world soccer governing body, the Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, frowned at government’s interference in the affairs of football.

FIFA then warned Nigeria that the NFF risked being sanctioned if the situation was not reversed. Thereafter all parties involved in the suits after series of meetings and confrontations, reached an amicable settlement and filed a notice of discontinual.

However, earlier this year, the Association of Nigerian Footballers, filed an application that the case should be re-listed.

Counsel to Maigari and other defendants, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), filed a counter-affidavit, urging the court to strike out the application, saying it amounts to an abuse of court process.

In his ruling, Justice Abang, while striking out the application, said, there is no provision in the rule of the Federal High Court that permits a case that has been struck out by filing notice of discontinual to be re-listed.

—Akin Kuponiyi