By Amaechi Agbo

Ahead of the September 2022 Nigeria Footbal Federation, NFF election, the Professional Football Players Association of Nigeria, PFAN have disclosed of its readiness to withdraw a lawsuit instituted against the NFF in Bayelsa State

The PFAN through an Bayelsa State Federal High Court in case number FC/YNG/CS/133/2021 got an Exparte Order barring the NFF from holding its Annual General Assembly, AGA earlier slated to hold in Edo State in December last year.

However, arising in a meeting on Monday in Abuja, after a joint meeting between Concerned Congress Members of the Nigeria Football Federation, CCMNFF, the PFAN and the Project 2022 Task Force, the group agreed to withdraw the case to pave way for the NFF to convene an emergency congress for the election.

In a communique read before journalists at the venue of the meeting, Hotel Reno, Abuja; Rivers State Football Association chairman, Barrister Chris Green said the agreement to withdraw the suit is part of the mechanisms the group adopted to ensure that all necessary modalities are put in place ahead of the election.

“Resulting from the delay in convening the 2022 NFF Annual General Assembly, which the Executive Committee of the NFF attributed to the interim order of injunction given by the Federal High Court, Bayelsa State Judicial Division, in suit no FHC/YNG/CS/133/2921.

“Concerned Members of the NFF Congress on the 20th day of June, 2022in Abuja met with the players union, whose member is the plaintiff in the aforesaid suit and resolved as follows:

“That the plaintiff in the aforementioned suit shall immediately withdraw same from court to pave way for the executive committee of the NFF to immediately convene the emergency General Assembly of the NFF

“The AGA in which the Congress discuss the way forward for the Nigeria Football in compliance with the status and for the sake of the good order,” Barr. Green read.

Making clarifications on the withdrawal of the suit, Chairman of the PFAN Board of Trustees, BOT, Mr Harrison Jalla said that the court order
stopping NFF from holding its Congress will be withdrawn within a week

Meanwhile, the Minister of Sports Sunday Dare on Monday met with the Task Force of the Players Union and members of the Nigeria Football Federation Congress asked them to follow due process and find a way to get the matter out of court so that the NFF could hold its Congress for the September elections.

In 2021, a board member of the Nembe City, Seigha Obiene had approached a Federal High Court, Bayelsa State JudicialDivison with suit number; FHC/YNG/CS/133/2021 with the prayer that five members of the NFF Congress who were part of the Elective Congress in Katsina in 2018 participated illegally in the elections and asking the court to declare the elections null and void.

Recall that the Federal Government last Friday ordered the leadership of the NFF to amend its statute to expand the number of the Congress.

Also, 28 FA Chairmen had sent a notice to the Secretariat of the Federation asking it to vacate the ex-parte order stopping the federation from holding its Congress.