A Jos Federal High Court on Wednesday fixed July 10 to hear a new motion filed by immediate past Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, challenging the ex parte order it granted Chris Giwa, current President of the federation.
Pinnick approached the court for the relief after the Supreme Court judgment which ordered him to comply with the lower court’s order that compelled him to vacate the office for Giwa.
Justice Musa Kurya, the Presiding Judge in the case between Yahaya Adama and Alhaji Aminu Maigari had, on June 5, made an experte order asking Pinnick’s NFF leadership to vacate the Glass House for the Giwa-led executive.
But Pinnick, through his counsel, Festus Keyamo (SAN), stormed the court with two motions demanding for the vacation of the order granted Giwa and others, pending the determination of an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.
Though the case was heard in the chamber, the two counsel in the matter spoke to newsmen shortly after.
Mr Festus Ukpe, who stood in for Keyamo, explained: “ We came to court to challenge the order which the court gave to Giwa led Exco.
“Our aim or intention was to move our two motions, but the counsel to Adama and Ogba, Mr Habila Ardzard, opposed it on the ground that they only got possession of the motions today (Wednesday).
“We told the judge that there was need for the court to hear these motions because of our fear of what Giwa will do in these few days that he claims he has power over Glass House.
“That is why we argued that there was the need for the judge to vacate his order since we were not given fair hearing in the matter, which we are not a party to but for our interest.’’
Ukpe said that after both sides made their submissions, the judge ruled and fixed July 10 for the hearing of the motions because of the urgency.
Also, Ardzard said he had to oppose Pinnick from moving the motions “because by law, we are entitled to seven days within which we could study the motion and reply from the date of its receipt.
“We were only asked to come to court today and when we came we were told that there were two motions which Pinnick’s counsel intended to move today (Wednesday).
“Of course, we had to oppose it and the court finally ruled in our favour and therefore, fixed July 10 for the hearing of the motions’’.
Nonetheless, the order granted Giwa subsists until Tuesday, July 10 when the motions would be heard on their merit. – FRCN.
