Pinnick v Chris Giwa: NFF lawyer, Festus Keyamo provides details, reveals FIFA’s position

Lawyer to the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, Festus Keyamo, has given full details on the crisis rocking the Nigerian football house.

Speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday morning, Keyamo said Giwa was facing a worldwide ban from FIFA and cannot be the NFF President.

Keyamo said that the Supreme Court never ordered Amaju Pinnick to vacate the NFF office for Chris Giwa to take over.

According to him, “Chris Giwa has never been a party to any case in court. And Amaju Pinnck has also never been a party to any case in court.

“As I speak to you, Giwa and Pinnick have never been parties to any case in court, whether at the Federal High Court or the Supreme Court.

“So What happened was that when the Attorney-General looked at the judgement of the Supreme Court in April, he gave an opinion that there was nothing to enforce and advised all parties to go back to the lower court to determine the case on the merit. 

“It was after this suggestion by the Attorney General that Giwa went back to the lower court and in an es parte motion, there was no contest – there was no service of paper on Amaju Pinnick or any of his lawyers – an es parte motion, only Giwa was heard. and the court ordered that Giwa, who was not party to the case should take over NFF and that the election that produced him should be recognised.

“Let me say this to all Nigerians, Giwa is on a journey to nowhere. It will end the way it had started.” He warned that the Giwa is only poised to bringing down FIFA’s hammer on Nigeria.

In an earlier statement, Keyamo had said, “While our client respects the sanctity of court orders, unfortunately the said court orders are not binding on FIFA, the world football governing body. The NFF is an affiliation of FIFA. It should be noted that FIFA has consistently maintained that same matter has been taken to the highest Court of Sport Arbitration in Switzerland by this same individuals and they have lost.

“FIFA is only bound by the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sports and does not tolerate or entertain decisions by local courts in footballing nations worldwide.

“Hence, FIFA has since upheld the decision of the court of Arbitration on this matter and recognised the NFF board led by Amaju Pinnick. Nigeria has a duty to comply to that decision.

“In addition, for the indiscretion of those individuals like Chris Giwa to approach the local court, FIFA has since imposed a worldwide ban on them from all football activites.”