Court Adjourns NFF Case Involving Ex-Chairman Maigari To September

A Federal High Court sitting in the Jos judicial division has adjourned the case involving former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Chairman, Aminu Maigari and former Secretary General, Musa Amadu, to September 25, 2018. This is because the court will be on vacation. Justice Musa Kurye while adjourning the matter on Tuesday advised counsels in the matter to apply to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for fiat in order to have the case heard during the vacation period or seek for the transfer of the case to Abuja if any of the party wants a speedy trial. Since 2014, there has been a legal battle for the running of affairs for the NFF when the duo of Yahaya Adama and Obinna Ogba commenced a suit seeking declaratory and injunctive reliefs against the then chairman of NFF Aminu Maigari and the then Secretary General, Musa Amadu as well as the defunct executive committee of the NFF to the effect that the Congress and election of the NFF held on August 26, 2014, was the only valid election. The legal tussle had been on and off until the Supreme Court ordered that the suit be relisted and remitted back to the Federal High Court for retrial on the merits and when the trial came up for hearing once again, it was arguments by the counsels bothering on several legal terms and jurisprudence. The twist was introduced into the matter after the appearance of a new counsel to represent Aminu Maigari and Musa Amadu to the amazement of the counsel Festus Keyamo. Keyamo eventually announced the withdrawal of his legal services to the defendants which the judge rightly obliged. Samuel Shankyula is then recognised as the new counsel to the defendants. Justice Musa Kurye had to proceed on a recess to determine another issue bothering on the withdrawal of an earlier application filed by the defence on May 28, 2018, urging the trial judge to recuse himself from conducting the trial suit. On resumption, the judge ruled that the plaintiffs have a right to respond to the withdrawal in the spirit of justice and fairness. After several arguments by the counsels, Justice Kurye ruled that the matter be adjourned to the September 25 to allow the new counsel to brief his clients as well as go through the application for withdrawal.]]>