Supreme Court order not for Giwa to take over NFF - Abba Yola
As reactions continue to trail the recent order of the Supreme Court in the ongoing NFF leadership tussle, a former chieftain of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Alhaji Abba Yola has said the order by the apex court is not for factional leader, Chris Giwa to take over the Nigeria Football Federation.
It will be recalled that since 2014, Ambassador Chris Giwa and Amaju Pinnick have been battling over the soul of the NFF with each laying claim to the presidency of the football federation after two contentious elections.
However, the Supreme Court recently kept aside Giwa’s victory at the High Court in Jos as well as the Appeal Court verdict in favour of Pinnick and ordered the Jos High Court to re-try the case brought before it by Giwa challenging the legitimacy of Pinnick’s election.
Reacting to the development, Yola told Daily Trust on Saturday that the order given by the Supreme Court is very clear and should not be twisted by anyone for selfish reasons.
He said “I am confused over the statement that there is no leadership in the NFF because of the Supreme Court order. This is far from the truth.
“The Supreme Court didn’t uphold the Jos High Court judgement or any part there of. Rather it ordered for a fresh re-trial of the case.
“It is now clear from the judgement of the Supreme Court that the case can be relisted and the High Court has the jurisdiction to try the case.
“I want to reiterate here that since the Supreme Court didn’t uphold any part of the Jos High Court judgement, there is no basis whatsoever for making any reference to it and or asking any one of the parties to abide or respect a judgement that exists only in the imagination of interested parties,” he said.
The former chairman of Kano Pillars football club, therefore said for now the status quo remains and everyone should be ready to abide by the order of the apex court.