By Innocent Anaba
A Federal High court sitting in Lagos, has ordered the Nigeria Football Federation and the Nigeria Premier League Board to shelve the NPL chairmanship re-run election scheduled for tomorrow.

The trial judge, Justice Okechukwu Okeke handed down the directive, following a suit filed by Mr Davidson Owumi, who was sacked by the NFF during its general assembly held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on December 29, 2010.

The court adjourned till January 17, 2011, for hearing in the suit, and urged  parties to maintain status quo pending the hearing of the motion.

By implication Owumi would remain as chairman of the NPL until the determination of the substantial suit. Owumi’s counsel, in the suit,  is asking for an order, restraining NFF and the League Board and other defendants whether by themselves, their servants, agents and or privies from implementing and/or enforcing the report of the Prof Akin Ibidapo_ Obe Arbitration panel.

He is also praying the court to restrain  NFF and the League Board from carrying out or give effect to the purported decision reached by NFF and the League Board at its  yearly General Assembly in Uyo, annulling his election as chairman of the league Board.

Owumi is praying the court to determine whether the members of the NFF Board and its chairman, Alhaji Aminu Maigari can carry out and or discharge the duties and functions of office by virtues of the election of August 26, 2010, which was annulled by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court.

He also want the court  to determine  whether  the purported decision of  the NFF and its chairman on December 29, to annul, his election as chairman of the Nigeria Premier League Board as well as the directive to the  Board to conduct a fresh election within 14 days, while the suit is pending was not an affront on the integrity of the court.

Owumi, had averred in an affidavit in support of the suit, that if the officials of NFF and the league board were not called to order by suspending the purported nullification and revert to the status quo, more havoc and damage would have been visited on him as it relates to football administration in Nigeria.