Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, has failed in his attempt to retain his seat on the FIFA Council after elections were held during the 14th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo, Egypt.
According to Afripost, the voting process, which determined Africa’s representatives on the FIFA Council, saw fierce competition among candidates.
Moroccan Football Federation president, Fouzi Lekjaa, emerged as the top choice with 49 votes.
Hani Abou Rida of Egypt and Djibrilla Hima Hamidou of Niger secured their places with 35 votes each, while Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya won a seat with 29 votes.
The last available slot was claimed by Djibouti’s Souleiman Hassan Waberi, who also secured 29 votes, leaving Pinnick just one vote short with 28, thereby eliminating his chances of continuing his tenure.
Pinnick, who had been on the council since 2021, had hoped to extend his influence in global football but fell at the final hurdle.
Other candidates who failed to make the cut included Zambia’s Andrew Kamanga (19 votes), Guinea’s Yacine Diallo (18 votes), and Senegal’s Augustin Senghor (13 votes).
Meanwhile, Benin’s Mathurin de Chacus withdrew from the race before the final count.
In the women’s category, Kanizat Ibrahim emerged victorious with 30 votes, while Lydia Nsekera and Isha Johansen were unsuccessful with 13 and 7 votes, respectively.
With Africa holding seven seats in the FIFA Council, including one reserved for the CAF president, Pinnick’s defeat signals a reshuffling in African football leadership.
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