By Mark Baber
October 31 – The day before the expiry of a FIFA deadline for his court case to be withdrawn, and following intervention from Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, Chris Giwa’s faction has withdrawn its case against Amaju Pinnick and his newly elected board, forestalling a possible FIFA ban for government interference.
The case filed by two members of the Giwa-led board had led to an injunction annulling the FIFA-supported September 30 NFF elections that brought in Amaju Pinnck to power at an elective congress held in Warri.
With a FIFA ban looming, the President was believed to have given the orders during his meeting with the bosses (Chris Giwa and Amaju Pinnick) of the two warring factions of the Nigeria Football Federation at the Aso Rock Villa yesterday where he asked them to resolve all issues between them by next week and that he should be sent a report.
Jonathan is reported to have asked Giwa to withdraw his case and also to have ordered the return of Stephen Keshi, who had been released by Pinnick, to coach the national team for the remaining qualification games for the 2015 African Nations Cup.
After hearing that the plaintiffs had withdrawn their case, Judge Ambrose Allagoa announced, “I have struck out the matter… The suit ceases to have life.”
Giwa’s lawyer Habila Ardzard said the decision had been made “as a result of pleas from so many well-meaning Nigerians and in the national interest.”
With the immediate threat of a FIFA ban having been avoided, it remains to be seen whether members of Giwa’s faction will somehow be integrated into the new Board or if new elections will be held.
What is clear is that, as predicted, government interference in Nigerian football played a decisive role in forestalling a FIFA ban for government interference.
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