Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has applauded Amaju Pinnick’s emergence as the third Nigerian to make the world’s football governing body FIFA council.
Mr Pinnick, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was on Saturday elected into the FIFA Executive Council, the highest decision-making organ in world football.
President Buhari’s media aide Femi Adesina in a statement said: “The President believes that by dint of hardwork, dedication and consistency, Pinnick has proven to be an efficient football administrator and the world has taken notice of his competency skills by electing him into the FIFA Council and one of the Vice Presidents of the Confederation of African Football (CAF)”.
Pinnick was elected into the FIFA’s Council after a landslide victory, defeating Malawian FA president Walter Nyamilandu by 43 votes to eight during the Caf General Assembly held in Rabat on Friday.
He also becomes the third Nigerian elected into the prestigious council after Oyo Orok Oyo (1980-1988) and Amos Adamu (2006-2010).
President Buhari however, “notes that this feat of enhanced visibility and prestige of Nigeria in the international community is coming on the heels of recent elections of other well qualified and endowed Nigerians into strategic leadership positions in international organisations.
“The President urges Pinnick to see his new assignment as an opportunity to enhance Nigeria’s reputation and identity as a football loving country and optimally utilise the role of sports, through football, as a driving force to engender development, peace and stability at the regional and international levels.
“As an active supporter of the round leather game, the President joins other enthusiastic fans in Nigeria and across the continent in wishing the NFF president the best in his new position,” the statement concluded
By Abel Ejikeme