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A Federal High
Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, ordered that the planned election
into the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) Board, scheduled for January 12,
2011, be put on hold, and parties to maintain the status quo pending
the hearing of the motion.

The presiding
Judge, Okechukwu Okeke, gave the order following a motion filed by
sacked Chairman of the league, Davidson Owumi, on his removal during
the Annual General Assembly of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF),
held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on December 29, 2010. The motion, dated
January 4, 2011, was borne out of an earlier suit filed by a
Lagos-based lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, against the NFF and 10 others. Mr
Owumi is praying the court for an order of interlocutory injunction
restraining the NFF and other defendants, whether by themselves, their
servants, agents and or privies, from implementing and/or enforcing the
Akin Ibidapo-Obe Arbitration Panel report.

The applicant
further prayed the court for an interlocutory injunction restraining
the two organizations from implementing the decision reached at their
General Assembly in Uyo annulling his election as chairman of the
league. Mr Owumi, in an affidavit deposed by his counsel, Yomi Obafemi,
urged the court to determine whether members of the NFF Board and its
chairman can carry out and or discharge the duties and functions of
that office by merit of the election of August 26, 2010, which was
annulled by Okon Abang, of the Federal High Court. He is also asking
the court to determine whether the decision of the NFF and its chairman
during its general assembly, to annul his election as chairman of the
league, as well as directing the Board to conduct a fresh election
within 14 days, while the suit is pending, is an affront to the majesty
and integrity of the court.

‘Don’t recognise them’

In the substantive
suit, Mr Ogunye is asking the court to grant him six orders, among
which include an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the
officers and members of NFF and Aminu Magari, its Chairman, and other
executive members from “further conducting, parading, addressing or
describing themselves as duly elected members and officers of the
Governing Board (Executive Committee) and Congress of NFF pending the
hearing and determination of the substantive Originating Summons
herein.” According to him, this is necessary due to the elections
purportedly conducted into the said committee and congress on August
26, 2010, which he regards as illegal.

Mr Ogunye argued
that the order, made on September 6, 2010, by Mr Abang of the Federal
High Court, Lagos, in Suit No FHC/L/CS/962/10 (The Registered Trustees
of the National Association of Nigeria Footballers, NANF v Nigerian
Football Association, NFA & 7 Ors), which annulled the elections on
NFF conducted on August 26, 2010, is upon the discontinuance of the
suit, “being impudently disobeyed by the board and congress of the NFF.”

He averred that the
members have reinstated themselves into office and are now discharging
the functions and duties of the offices, pursuant to the purported
mandate they obtained in the said annulled election. He argued that the
actions of the NFF violate the provisions of the Constitution of
Nigeria; are an assault on the integrity of the Federal High Court and
the sanctity of its orders; subvert the rule of law; negate the orderly
administration of justice in the country; impact negatively on its law
practice; and adversely affect the faith of his clients and prospective
clients in the inviolability of the orders of courts.

The matter has been adjourned till January 17, 2011.