By Fidelis Ebu, Abuja
By throwing out the petition filed by former Nigeria Football Federation president Sani Lulu, the Court of Arbitration for Sports exposed the attempt by Lulu and his cohorts to hoodwink the NFF into settling out of court.

Lulu, Taiwo Ogunjobi and Amanze Uchegbulam had filed a suit at world sports court challenging their dismissal from the NFF board, which did not follow due process. But the case was thrown out after world soccer governing body made submissions to the CAS.

Lulu pulled a fast one on the present board which last week entered what many say is ‘plea bargain’ as a pre_condition for him to withdraw the case he filed at the Court of Arbitration for Sports.

FIFA in its response to Lulu’s claim told the court that the litigants were at the time the case was filed ‘outcasts’ from the round leather and therefore has no locus standi to file the case. CAS at its sitting last week Tuesday dismissed the matter leaving Lulu’s team of lawyers to return to the country without achieving their clients’ aim.

It was gathered that NFF was not represented in Lausanne; a situation the former NFF boss exploited to great effect in a recent ‘deal’ he was said to have entered with the Aminu Maigari–led.

The NFF acting General Secretary, Musa Amadu when confronted maintained that the federation was yet to be contacted by CAS even as he did not refute news that the case has been thrown out.

A top staff in the football house however confirmed that the case had been dismissed.
“I was not contacted by CAS and up till now we have not been communicated of the decision by CAS”, Musa Amadu submitted on yesterday.

It was also understood that Lulu allegedly exploited the absence of the NFF in Lausanne to enter what was claimed as a plea bargain as condition to withdraw the case.

The source said part of the plea bargain deal, was to compel the board to allow all personal staff of Lulu to return to the NFF in addition to the payment of an undisclosed “pay off” sum to the former NFF top shots as a way to pacify them.

Remarkably, three of some of the dismissed staff were last week re_called to resume duties.