From Segun Amure, (The New Diplomat’s Abuja Bureau)
President Muhammadu Buhari has applauded Mr Amaju Pinnick, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on his election into the FIFA Executive Council, the highest decision-making organ in world football.
Buhari in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina stated that Picnic’s dint of hard work, dedication and consistency made him an efficient football administrator, adding that 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).
He noted that the 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.
President Buhari 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.
The President joins other enthusiastic fans in Nigeria and across the continent in wishing the NFF president the best in his new position.
It would be recalled that the Warri-born football administrator, who also doubles President of the NFF, defeated Malawian FA president, Walter Nyamilandu, to emerge winner as a member of the Executive Council of Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).
His emergence makes him one of the six Africans to represent the continent on the FIFA Executive Council.
Pinnick, who was the Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission during the administration of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan won with a landslide victory in the FIFA contest.
The election was held during the General Assembly of the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) in Rabat, Morocco, Friday.
Pinnick became the third Nigerian elected into the prestigious council after Oyo Orok Oyo (1980-1988) and Amos Adamu (2006-2010).
Pinnick is the current president of NFF, a role he was first elected to in September 2014. On 20 September 2018, Pinnick was re-elected as the NFF President.
He was also the first Vice President of Confederation of African Football (CAF) between September 2018 and July 2019, and a member of the Organising Committee for FIFA competitions.
Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege in a statement described Pinnick’s victory as an additional glory for the people of Delta state.
“Amaju Pinnick ably reflects our people’s traditional values such as resilience, commitment to duty and fairness; it is no wonder that his acknowledged competency on football administration has further culminated into his election into FIFA’s Executive Council along with new responsibilities as one of the Vice Presidents of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
“As we all continue to pray for his success and that of all our sports administrators and sports people, we must continue to inspire our young ones in Delta state and all other parts of Nigeria towards true greatness in various endeavours,” Omo-Agege said.
