NFF shifts elections, Minister summons presidential candidates

Plans by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to conduct elections into various positions of its executive board might have suffered a postponement after a court injunction against the processes expected to produce new set of leaders.

The election was initially scheduled for September 30, 2022 at Benin City, Edo state capital by the NFF general congress.

But on September 15, a Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital ordered that the elections be stopped.

The court, presiding over the matter in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/2022, also ruled that all parties should maintain status quo and adjourned further proceedings till October 31.

This was after the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN) filed a suit against the federation over unequal representation of all the five statutory bodies making up the NFF in terms of voting rights and representation on the NFF Board, its Congress and substanding committees.

After the court order, there were insinuations that the NFF was moving on with plans for the elective Congress.

Such moves appeared to have been uprooted after it emerged that officials of NFF are now out to obey the country’s court proceedings.

A source within said on Saturday that a new date and possibly venue will be communicated in due course.

“A new date and possibly venue will be communicated in due course that is not to say the election has been moved from Benin but we await further information in this regard,” the source said.

Meanwhile, all the presidential candidate have been scheduled to hold an emergency meeting with the Nigeria’s Minister for Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare.