Nigeria’s Amaju Melvin Pinnick is highly favoured to retain his seat on the FIFA Council when elections are held at the 14th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday.
Pinnick, a seasoned football administrator, is among 10 candidates vying for five available seats on the council, which serves as the supreme governing body of world football. He faces competition from Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa, Egypt’s Hany Abou Rida, Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya, Côte d’Ivoire’s Yacine Idriss Diallo, Senegal’s Augustin Senghor, Niger Republic’s Djibrilla ‘Pele’ Hima Hamidou, Zambia’s Andrew Kamanga, Benin Republic’s Mathurin De Chacus, and Djibouti’s Souleman Hassan Waberi.
CAF’s seven FIFA Council seats include one reserved for the sitting CAF president and another designated for a woman. Comoros’ Kanizat Ibrahim and Sierra Leone’s Isha Johansen will contest for the female slot.
The election will take place at the Marriott Mena House in Cairo, where each of CAF’s 54 Member Associations will cast their votes. Nigeria’s delegation, led by NFF President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, arrived in Cairo on Sunday. The Nigerian government, which endorsed Pinnick’s candidacy in July 2024, is also represented by National Sports Commission Chairman Alhaji Shehu Dikko and Director-General Hon. Bukola Olopade.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe is set to secure a second term unopposed, while elections for CAF Executive Committee seats have been largely determined by zonal arrangements. However, the southern African region is expected to witness a more competitive race.
The FIFA Council election is expected to be one of the most fiercely contested in recent history, with strong candidates vying for limited seats. Pinnick, who has previously held the position, remains a front-runner in the high-stakes vote.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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