Victor Baribote, the Proprietor of Nembe City Football Club, on Thursday said the Amaju Pinnick-led board of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) presently has no right to summon anybody or group.
Baribote said the decisions of Wednesday’s extraordinary congress of the Pinnick-led NFF was not binding as far as Nigerian football was concerned.
The former NFF Second Vice-President, who belongs to the Chris Giwa-led NFF group, said since a court of competent jurisdiction had annulled Pinnick’s election, the NFF he leads is non-existent.
“Any action taken by the Pinnick-led board after the order of the Federal High Court in Jos on April 8 can be regarded as in contempt of court,’’ he said.
The congress of the Pinnick-led NFF had on Wednesday summoned Chris Giwa, who leads the other NFF faction, and his board members to appear before its disciplinary board.
They are to, according to the communiqué of the congress, defend themselves in cases of allegations of anti-football activities leveled against them.
Baribote, however, said Pinnick was rather postponing the doomsday with this, instead of looking for a solution.
“The Pinnick-led NFF does not have the right to summon anybody. Its action is laughable. If not, how can they summon people that threw them out of office?
“What was the meaning of the congress when you are not in existence? I believe that they just want the public to believe that they are still in charge.
“What I know is that they didn’t invite me, because my name is Chief Rumson Victor Baribote. But, in their communiqué, I was addressed as Rumson Baribote.
“Until they address me properly, I don’t think they have involved me. But, I repeat, they have no legal right to invite me or any other person.
“By now I expected the Minister of Youths and Sports to enforce the order because they must obey the order first before any further step can be taken,’’ Baribote said.
Justice Musa Kurya of a Federal High Court in Jos had on April 8 nullified the election of the Pinnick-led board of the NFF.
The election was held on September 30, 2014 in Warri, Delta, with the Giwa group immediately challenging its legality.
It had pointed out that an election was earlier held in Abuja on August 26, 2014, where Giwa was elected NFF President.
The case was re-listed for hearing on May 30, 2015 after it was withdrawn by the Giwa group, following former President Goodluck Jonathan’s offer to intervene.
