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Nigeria's sports minister warns warring football officials

Xinhua, April 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Nigeria's Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, on Monday said he would not accept any action that would threaten the peace of the country.

Dalung said in a statement that both parties in the renewed crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) must be guided by law.

A Federal High Court in Jos had on Friday reaffirmed its 2014 ruling.

The ruling had nullified the Sept. 30, 2014 elections into the NFF executive committee, which brought Amaju Pinnick as NFF President.

Dalung said sports-loving Nigerians and the football family were thrown into a state of confusion by Friday' s development which sparked off another leadership crisis in the NFF.

The minister said this had also led to different press statements from both camps laying claim to the leadership of the federation.

He warned that both parties must be guided by the rule of law.

Dalung however pointed out that the Pinnick-led executive committee had a 30-day right to appeal the court decision.

The minister called on all parties to the dispute to maintain peace and respect the rule of law, adding that the judicial process must be allowed to run its full course.

Meanwhile, the world football ruling body FIFA on Monday said it would likely consider as an interference the implementation of Thursday' s reaffirmation of ruling by the Federal High Court in Jos.

The court had said its October 2014 ruling must be obeyed.

It had nullified the Sept. 30, 2014 election of the Pinnick-led NFF executive committee.

Since then, the Chris Giwa-led group which obtained the court order had said it was going to take over the NFF secretariat, while also making some appointments.

However, in a letter to Pinnick, signed by FIFA acting Secretary General, Markus Kattner, the football body said it would see the implementation of the decision as an interference.

It also warned that it would take the matter to its highest authorities for consideration of sanctions, such as the suspension of NFF, if the court order was implemented. Endit