•Refers it back to Jos High Court

Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The bid to sack the Amaju Pinnick- led executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation failed yesterday at the Supreme Court which refused to make any pronouncement on the suit.

The failed moves was commenced by Yahaya Adama and Obinna Ogba, who had claimed that they and others were the authentic NFF executive committee members said to have been elected on August 26, 2014.

But rather than going into the substance of the appeal, the apex court, in a judgment remitted the case to the Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State, where it was commenced in September 2014, and ordered the said court to give it an accelerated hearing.

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A five-man panel of the Supreme Court led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, unanimously set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Jos, which had held that the case could no longer be relisted before the Federal High Court having been earlier withdrawn by the appellants.

Even after agreeing with the appellants that they could have the case re-listed before the Federal High Court after their settlement talks broke down, the Supreme Court refused their plea to have the case heard and determined on its merit.

It was the position of the condition precedent to warrant hearing such case, which ought to be heard by the Federal High Court had not been met.

The appellants had on September 19, 2014, filed their suit before the Federal High Court in Jos, praying for among others, that they along with others allegedly elected on August 26, 2014, be declared to be the legitimate executive committee members of the NFF.

The defendants to the suit were the then outgone executive committee of the NFF represented by its President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, and Musa Adamu, the Plateau State Football Association representing the football association in the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory and the Minister of Sports.