Court Orders NFF to Respond to Election Legitimacy Suit

The Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa has mandated the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and its president, Ibrahim Gusau, to respond to a fresh legal challenge regarding the legitimacy of the NFF's leadership stemming from the election held on September 30, 2022. The case, marked FHC/YNG/CS/70/2026, was filed by former Super Eagles player Tekenah Ediyekio, who is seeking to nullify the election results and restrain the current board from further administration of Nigerian football.

The court, presided over by Judge Ayo Emmanuel, declined to hear an ex parte application from the plaintiff and scheduled the original summons for March 31, 2026. The plaintiff argues that the NFF leadership continues to operate without legal backing, despite an appeal ruling delivered on January 19, 2024, which struck down a previous appeal.

Ediyekio's suit raises questions about the legitimacy of the Gusau-led board and the planned congress on March 23, 2026, which he claims could amount to contempt of court.