NFF September elections disrupted by bomb threats, court case

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been instructed to temporarily postpone the impending election, which is scheduled to take place on September 30, 2022, by the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

The federation has also been threatened with violence by a group demanding that "the election should be stopped till such a time when all reforms are carried out.”

11 men are seeking to replace Pinnick on September 30, with NFF's first and second vice presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, and Ibrahim Gusau, who serves as the Chairman of Chairmen, among the leading candidates.

Other presidential aspirants include UK-based football scout David-Buhari Doherty, Dr. Christian Emeruwa - CAF's current Head of Safety & Security, and FIFA's Senior Safety & Security Officer, Abba Yola - former chairman of Kano Pillars Football Club, former NFF secretary general Musa Ahmadu, ex-Super Eagles goalkeeper Idah Peterside, serving State FA chairmen Amanze Uchegbulam (Imo) and Adam Mouktar Mohammed (FCT), and Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande, the vice chairman of Plateau State Football Association.

In his decision on the issue on Thursday morning, Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered the NFF to postpone the election that was scheduled to take place in the next 15 days and that parties should maintain the status quo before postponing the case to October 31, 2022.

The judgment was passed in a suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/2022 brought against the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) (Trading under the name and style of the Nigeria Football Federation) (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, Hon. Minister of Sports and Youth Development.

In a previous sitting in June, the court postponed further proceedings in the case until October 2022.

The plaintiffs had brought the lawsuit to have the 2010 NFF statutes amended. They demand equal voting rights and representation on the NFF Board for each of the five statutory entities that make up the NFF.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Harrison Jalla, Victor Baribote, Austin Popo, and The Registered Trustees of the National Association of Nigeria Footballers (NANF) - Trading under the name and style of Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN).

Also, a group going by the name, ‘Nigeria Football Stakeholders’ has threatened that if the elections are not called off, it will attack the Benin City location where it will be held.

They cautioned that the election “the election should be stopped till such a time when all reforms are carried out” in response to the "atrocities committed by the present (NFF) board)".

“We write to ask for the cancellation of the NFF election holding in Benin Edo State on the 30th of September 2022. This is so because of the atrocities committed by the present board," the letter stated.

“Embezzlement and fraud committed by the Amaju Pinnick led board with various cases pending in EFCC and ICPC. Refusal to various players unions and so many stakeholders in the intended election. Blatant refusal to adjust the statutes to accommodate all intending stakeholders to come to the board.

“Refusal to adhere to our warning will be met with very serious consequences. We will not hesitate to bomb and bring down the venue of the election and blood will flow. Your agreement to the cancellation will save the lives that are supposed to be lost.”

The letter signed by a certain Dogogo Johnbull and dated August 7, 2022, is directed to the Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, and NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, and was delivered to the sports minister's office on September 11, 2022.