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Taju Disu, a former Nigerian footballer has said the annulment of the Nigerian Football Federation elections, held in August, is a sign of better days ahead for the country’s football.

A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos had given an order restraining the FA from going ahead with the elections pending the hearing and determination of a motion filed by the Registered Trustees of the National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF).

The elections nevertheless took place on August 26 in Abuja with Aminu Maigari emerging as the new FA boss.

High Court judge, Okon Abang however nullified the election on Monday and described the conduct of the FA officials and its electoral committee as reckless and high-handed, while also maintaining that as far as the court was concerned, no election took place in Abuja.

Victory for football

“This is a victory for democracy and football,” said Disu, a staunch opponent of the August 26 election and who also went to court to stop the election.

“This is not a victory for Taju Disu, Segun Odegbami, Harrison Jalla or every other person who fought against the election, but a victory for every lover of football in Nigeria.

“Some people thought they were above the law and decided to go against a court order, but I’m happy they have been brought down to earth from their exalted positions and will now realise that everybody is beneath the law.”

The court also directed the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that none of those elected into the FA’s executive committee in the purported August 26 election gains entry into NFF’s offices in Abuja and Lagos and ordered that the most senior administrative staff member of the FA should take charge of the affairs of the association pending the conduct of a proper election to the board.

Contempt of court

The presiding judge further ordered that contempt proceeding should commence against all those who conducted the election. The contempt hearing will start on September 21 and Disu is delighted with the move.

“It’s a good thing they have been charged for contempt of court. I don’t know what they were thinking, or did they think they were going to get away with it?” he asked. “But I still think football should be run by those who have the knowledge of how to do it.

“A lot of us have shed blood, sweat and tears for football and this country but we have watched helplessly as politicians who are only interested in stealing money, killed the game we love so much. Football is actually dead in this country but we now have a fresh chance to raise it up from the dead.”