BIG STORY

FOOTBALL: US Court Dismisses Siasia’s Appeal Over FIFA Ban

Published

1 year ago

January 27, 2023

A United States Court of Appeal in New York has dismissed an appeal brought before it by Samson Siasia, former Super Eagles coach, seeking to overturn his five-year FIFA ban.

In a judgment delivered by a three-member panel on Thursday, the court ruled that Siasia failed to establish why a court in New York had jurisdiction over the case.

It added that the Nigerian failed to establish, in his suit, that FIFA, a body based in Switzerland, was “essentially at home” in New York.

The court also said although Siasia, who is based in the US, was banned from using a coaching licence issued by US soccer, his argument in that regard was not effective and barely supported by “conclusory statements.”

The ruling also affirmed the decision of a New York district court that had earlier dismissed the case on December 29, 2021.

“Upon consideration, it is hereby ordered, adjudged and decreed that the order of the district court entered on December 29, 2021 is affirmed,” the court statement reads.

“This case asks us to decide whether the district court properly dismissed Appellant Siasia’s 5 Complaint for lack of personal jurisdiction over Appellee Fédération Internationale de Football 6 Association (“FIFA”), a Swiss entity. See Siasia v. Fédération Internationale de Football 7 Association, No. 21 Civ. 6516 (AKH), 2021 WL 5042974, at *4 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 29, 2021).

“We 8 assume the parties’ familiarity with the underlying facts, the procedural history, and the issues on 9 appeal, which we reference only as necessary to explain our decision.

“The record does not support the finding that Siasia made a prima facie showing of personal 6 jurisdiction under either theory. Siasia’s support for general jurisdiction relies on generalized 7 claims and poorly supported speculations of future activity that plainly do not suffice to render 8 FIFA ‘essentially at home’ in New York.”

In 2019, FIFA found Siasia “guilty of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches”.

The offence, FIFA had said, violated the federation’s code of ethics and consequently pinned a life ban from football-related activities on the multiple Olympic medalist.

The ban was also accompanied by a 50,000 Swiss francs ($54,000) fine.

However, the sanction was reduced to a five-year ban on June 21 at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

In August 2021, Siasia sued FIFA over the ban, saying the evidence was “grossly insufficient” and that the punishment violated his due process rights under the U.S. Constitution.

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BIG STORY

Avoid Panic Buying, We’re Not Changing Petrol Prices — NNPCL To Nigerians

Published

7 mins ago

April 25, 2024

PorscheClassy News

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says there is no place to change the prices of petroleum products.

In a statement on Thursday by Femi Soneye, its spokesperson, the NNPC asked Nigerians to avoid panic buying.

The national oil firm said the limited availability of petrol in certain regions of the nation is a result of logistical problems.

However, the company said the challenge has been fixed.

“The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) wishes to clarify that the tightness in the supply of Premium Motor Spirit currently being experienced in some areas across the country is as a result of logistics issues and that they have been resolved,” the statement reads.

“It also wishes to reiterate that the prices of petroleum products are not changing.

“It urges Nigerians to avoid panic buying as there is a sufficiency of products in the country.”

On March 24, the NNPC denied adjusting the pump price of petrol across its retail outlets.

This came after the organisation had promised Nigerians that there would not be any increase in the cost of petrol on February 9.

The NNPC also reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the current sufficiency in the supply of petroleum products across all its retail stations in the country.

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BIG STORY

Former Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi Wins Ondo PDP Gubernatorial Primary

Published

15 mins ago

April 25, 2024

PorscheClassy News

A former deputy governor of Ondo, Agboola Ajayi, has emerge winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial primary election in the state.

Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the deputy governor of Bayelsa, who chaired the electoral committee that supervised the poll, announced the results on Thursday in Akure, the state capital.

Ewhrudjakpo said Ajayi scored 264 votes to defeat other aspirants.

“By virtue of the results, Ajayi Alfred Agboola having scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner of this primary and hereby declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the November 2024 election and is hereby returned as the candidate,” he said.

Ajayi was the deputy governor of Ondo state from 2017 to 2021.

Kolade Akinjo, who came second in the election scored 157 votes while Olusola Ebiseni polled 99 votes to clinch the third position.

On June 21, 2020, Ajayi, a lawyer and businessman, resigned his membership from the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the PDP.

He cited irreconcilable differences between him and his principal, the late Rotimi Akeredolu, the former governor of Ondo.

He then joined the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) after losing the PDP gubernatorial primary to Eyitayo Jegede and became the candidate of the party in 2020.

Ajayi had served as a councillor, chairman of Ese-Odo LGA, and house of representatives member before he was nominated by the late Akeredolu as his deputy in 2016.

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BIG STORY

Former Senate Spokesperson Ayogu Eze Dies At 66

Published

6 hours ago

April 25, 2024

PorscheClassy News

Ayogu Eze, a former spokesperson for the Senate, passed away at the age of 66.

Eze, the senator from Enugu North Senatorial District from 2007 to 2015, died on Thursday in a hospital in Abuja following an undisclosed illness.

In May 2023, the Senate confirmed Eze as a federal Commissioner for Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission. Eze is also among the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party.

In his years at the Senate, he also served as the chairman of the Senate Committee of Works and a member of committees on Constitutional Amendment, Police Affairs, National Planning, Marine Transport and Federal Character & Inter-Government Affairs.

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