House threatens Giwa’s arrest, Assures Pinnick of FG’s support

The House Committee on Sports headed by Hon Goni Bukar Lawan yesterday threatened to order the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase to arrest members of the fac­tional board of the Nigeria Foot­ball Federation (NFF), headed by Chris Giwa should they create fur­ther problems in the NFF.
The committee issued the threat on a day it backed the Amaju Pin­nick group as the authentic board of the NFF.

The House Committee took the position after holding a closed door meetings with Pinnick and Giwa who are jostling for the con­trol of the NFF Board.
In a three-page report released yesterday by the Committee and signed by the chairman, Hon. Bu­kar Lawan, it stated that the Min­ister of Youth and Sports and the Federal Government of Nigeria shall continue to recognize, work and support the NFF under Mr. Amaju Pinnick’s Presidency.”
It also said that “The Inspector General of Police and all other se­curity Agencies shall ensure that whosoever creates problem in NFF or Nigeria’s football shall be apprehended and prosecuted ac­cordingly.”
 Meanwhile, Pinnick has said the resolution of the House Commit­tee on Sports backing the subsisting board of the NFF in the leadership tussle with Chris Giwa, is a victory for football in Nigeria.
He said it was a case of no victor no vanquished and appealed to every stakeholder to join hands with the NFF to propel the country’s football.
Indication that the House Com­mittee will recognize the subsisit­ing board of the NFF emerged ear­lier in the week when the member representing Aba North Federal Constituency, Honourable Pres­tige Ossy, who is also a member of the committee, maintained that the Amaju Pinnick-led board of the NFF remains sacrosanct, unless otherwise stated by the enlarged members of legislators.
“We, the members of the commit­tee have resolved that the status quo should remain, unless otherwise stated by the enlarged house. We have really deliberated on the matter, and have come to a decision, which will be communicated to other leg­islators for further deliberations.
He has assured that the committee would ensure justice and fairness in its decisions.
“So we urge the factions to remain calm, as we are poised to do justice, in order to make sure that the na­tion’s football moves forward, and also avoid FIFA’s sanction,” he con­cluded.

...Giwa condemns decision on NFF
 The factional President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ambas­sador Chris Giwa has condemned the decision of the chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Hon. Bukar Lawan, to recognize the Amaju Pinnick-led fac­tion, without the consent of the entire As­sembly.
Giwa at a press briefing yesterday in Abu­ja, alleged that the Committee’s chairman had openly taken side with his Pinnick’s group through his conduct and utterances which were at variance with the position of the whole body, before the volte face that subsequently led to his “after thought invi­tation to face the committee.”
Giwa threatened to drag the Hon. Bukar Lawan before the leadership of the House of Representatives for conduct which he said was at variance with his oath of office to be fair and just to all.
He further stated that Lawan erred by his action without first laying the committee’s report on the floor of the Green chambers, thereafter the report will be deliberated upon before a final position is taken on the issue since it was the House which ordered the committee to look into the matter.
According to him, all the documents and legal pronouncements were all laid bare before the body, which invariably runs contrary to the claims being made by the chairman of the House committee to jus­tify his taken position.