October 29, 2014
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- Nigeria News
Some State Football Association Chairmen have vowed to sue those behind the current football crisis for impersonation and forgery. Their story started this way:
On August 26, 2014, a congress of the Nigeria Football Federation was called in Chidah Hotel, Abuja.
The extra ordinary congress was expected to draw a road-map and fix the date for elective congress.
When delegates arrived, they found out that Aminu Maigari, the then President of NFF was detained by security men. The delegates stormed out of the congress in solidarity with Maigari.
The sports minister Tammy Danagogo addressed the congress and moved that election into a new board of the Nigeria Football be held. The delegates were not there to conduct any election.
Somehow, a result was announced and Chris Giwa was said to have been elected. Those behind the charade were challenged to produce names of the delegates that voted. They could not immediately do so.
But some days after, they produced a list on NFF paper purporting the names on the list to have participated in the election and signed to have done so. The list was hand-written. The list was said to have been part of the document submitted to authenticate the purported election.
Now, many of those whose names appeared on the list say that they will sue those responsible for forgery and impersonation.
“I was not part of any election. There was no election. It simply means that I’ll go to court. I’ll sue those who forged my signature. And it is not only me. Many of those whose signatures were forged will be heading to the court too,” said Lucky Ewa, the chairman of Bayelsa State FA chairman whose name appeared on the list.
He said that he did not sign the signature placed by his name.
Sports minister yesterday asked Chris Giwa to withdraw a case he filed in court against the Amaju Board which was elected September 30 in a transparent election attended by all delegates.
The Federal Government, Fifa and Caf have all recognised the Amaju board. The minister was making efforts to clear the confusion he initiated when he appointed a secretary to run the affairs of Nigerian football following a similar court action against the Maigari board.
The minister was also behind the September 26 ill-fated congress. But he was new in sports and now appears to be mastering the terrain.
Fifa abhors taking football matters to ordinary law courts. Sports disputes are usually taken to Court Of Arbitration For Sports, CAS. Nigerians must abide by the rules or face international sanctions.