The President of the Nigerian Football Federation Amaju Pinnick has been elected into the Fifa Council after a runaway victory on Friday in Rabat, Morocco at the 43rd CAF ordinary general assembly.
The election also saw Pinnick become a member of CAF’s Executive Committee and emerge as its Fifth Vice-President.
The Nigerian football administrator is among the six African leaders that will represent the continent on the Fifa Executive Council.
He defeated Malawi’s Walter Nyamilandu, the incumbent, after gathering 43 votes as against eight by his opponent.
Following several withdrawals prior to the election, Pinnick and Malawi’s Walter Nyamilandu were the only two candidates left from the Anglophone block.
Pinnick will be joined by Egypt’s Hany Abou Rida, Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa, Mali’s Mamoutou Toure, Benin’s Mathurin De Chacus and Sierra Leone’s Aisha Johansen in the main decision-making organisation of the world football governing body.
Prior to his success at the polls, Pinnick’s ambition was backed by the Federal Government of Nigeria in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Nebolisa Anako.
“On behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, and all Nigerians, we hereby pledge our unflinching support to Mr Pinnick because his victory would be our collective victory,” a part of the statement read.
The 50-year-old was re-elected as the NFF boss in 2018 and he is currently serving his second term after his first triumph in 2014.
Pinnick previously served as Caf vice-president in Ahmad Ahmad’s administration between September 2018 and July 2019, before he was removed and succeeded by Constant Omari.
In addition to his role as a member of Caf Executive Committee, the Delta-born administrator is also a member of the Organising Committee for Fifa competitions.
Pinnick is the third Nigerian to be elected into the FIFA highest decision-making organ, after the late Orok Oyo and Amos Adamu.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has praised Pinnick’s “hardwork, dedication and consistency”.
“I congratulate Mr. Amaju Pinnick, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on his election into the FIFA Executive Council, the highest decision-making organ in world football,” Buhari tweeted on Friday night.
“Through hardwork, dedication and consistency, Mr. Pinnick has proven to be an efficient football administrator, and the world has taken notice by electing him into the FIFA Council and as one of the Vice Presidents of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).”
