The drama surrounding Nigerian football took a new dimension yesterday as the National Association of Nigerian Footballers quietly withdrew the court case it instituted against the Alhaji Aminu Maigari-led board of the Nigeria Football Federation and agreed an out-of-court settlement.

NFF

With the latest development, it means the elected board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been re-instated.
“We met with FIFA executive Amos Adamu and have agreed to settle the matter out of court,” disclosed president of NANF, Harrison Jalla, Wednesday.

“We have signed a communiqué in this respect.”Adamu also confirmed this development and said he will communicate it to FIFA.

The NANF court case against the NFF board was one of the sore points listed by FIFA for their suspension of Nigeria from international football.

NANF dragged the elected board of the NFF as well as several top officials including FIFA executive Amos Adamu to the Lagos High Court in respect of the elections into the NFF executive committee in August.
By this withdrawal, the NFF board led by Aminu Maigari has been re-instated.

Acting secretary-general of the NFF, Musa Amadu, has also returned to his post after he was asked by the sports ministry to step aside as he was joined in the contempt case also brought by NANF.

On Monday, the contempt case was discharged, while hearing on the substantive case against the NFF board was to begin on October 25.FIFA have ordered that the Maigari board be reinstated, the case against the executive committee be withdrawnand Amadu return to his post at the NFF secretariat.

The sports ministry has defended itself against interfering in the running of the NFF.
In a statement signed by spokesman, Tony Ohaeri, the ministry stated that it has not in past or recently interfered with the activities of the NFF.