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A logjam at the Federal High Court Ikoyi yesterday, where the National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF) formally discontinued its case against the NFF has given rise to speculations that the country might be risking another FIFA ban.

Whilst NANF’s case against the NFF was formally struck out by the presiding judge, Okon Abang, the court however failed to reinstate the Aminu Maigari-led board as expected by the defendants who argued that it was one of the conditions given by FIFA when it provisionally lifted the ban on October 8.

“From my own understanding, it is like we have done nothing today if the board has not been given the go-ahead to function. FIFA said that the board should be left alone to work without any interference or else the hammer will fall on us [again],” said Baribote Rumsen, who is a members of the disputed NFF board.

“Right now our fate is in the hands of the judge; if there is anything that can be done latest tomorrow (today) to vacate the order he placed that any of us who parades himself as a board member would be arrested, then we can move forward.”

However NANF’s counsel, Belo Aideloje, said allowing the board to function is equivallent to ‘legalizing an illegality’.

More trouble in the offing

“As at today, legally speaking, there is no new board. Aside that, all the talk about FIFA ban should not be a cause of worry. FIFA is in its own mess right now and is trying to purify (itself), Who is FIFA to give a directive to the Customary Court in Nigeria talk less of a High Court? A court has made a pronouncement and FIFA cannot tamper with such orders. If they want the court to do something for them they should come and humbly approach the court. FIFA is no country, they can’t be giving directives to a country; FIFA has humiliated Nigeria enough,” he said.

Different perspectives

On their part, lawyers have interpreted the ruling differently.

For Barrister Hycinth Igbokwe, the court’s pronouncement on the discontinuance of the case amounts to quashing all orders pertaining to the case.

“For me, the board has been re-installed with today’s judgement. When a case is discontinued on any basis all orders previously made goes with it.”

Aideloje, further advised that the NFF should in essence revert to the former board and then start doing things properly but all talk of new board should be put to bed, at least for now.

FIFA had provisionally lifted the suspension placed on Nigerian football until today, October 26 2010, after noting that the next hearing before the court was scheduled for October 25 and that it was only then that the judge can vacate the court orders.

The world football governing body however said should the NFF still be embroiled in court actions or any other issue preventing it from working freely on that date, the suspension will be automatically confirmed until all problems have been definitively solved.

The matter is still with the court

NANF president, Harrison Jalla, who instituted the case, said his association had kept to the bargain of an out-of-court settle. He however said NANF cannot force the court to reverse the annulment of the August 26 election of the NFF. Rather, he called for a ‘political solution’ to the issue.

“We’ve kept to our own part of the bargain by withdrawing the case. So the court will do justice to the other issues because the NANF can’t influence legal matters,” he said.

Others said as things stand, the crisis is far from being over.