March 12, (THEWILL) – Former Nigeria Football Federation president, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, has failed to retain his position on the FIFA Council following elections held at the 14th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football in Cairo, Egypt.
Pinnick, who had served on the FIFA Council since 2021, received 28 votes, falling just one vote short of continuation. The final available spot went to Souleiman Hassan Waberi of Djibouti, who garnered 29 votes in the competitive election that determined Africa’s representatives in global football governance.
Fouzi Lekjaa led the polling with 49 votes, while Hani Abou Rida and Djibrilla Hima Hamidou each collected 35 votes. Ahmed Yahya also claimed a position with 29 votes. Other unsuccessful candidates included Andrew Kamanga (19 votes), Yacine Diallo (18 votes), and Augustin Senghor (13 votes), with Mathurin de Chacus withdrawing before the final count.
In the women’s category, Kanizat Ibrahim emerged triumphant with 30 votes, defeating Lydia Nsekera (13 votes) and Isha Johansen (7 votes). The results establish a revised representation for African football in the FIFA Council, which allocates seven seats to the continent, including one reserved for the CAF president.
The election results introduce changes to the African football leadership structure within FIFA, with Pinnick now stepping away from the international governing body after his four-year term. The newly elected council members will represent African football interests on the global stage through their positions on football’s highest administrative authority.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
