By Abiola Olawale
Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick has lost his bid for re-election to the prestigious FIFA Council, the supreme decision-making body of world football.
The elections, held during the 14th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo, Egypt saw Pinnick fall short against a competitive field of candidates vying for the limited African seats on the 37-member council.
Pinnick, who has served on the FIFA Council since 2021, faced stiff opposition from prominent African football administrators, including Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa and Egypt’s Hany Abou Rida.
Despite strong backing from the Nigerian government and a robust campaign highlighting his contributions to global football governance, Pinnick was unable to secure enough votes to retain his seat.
The FIFA Council election results saw the following candidates emerge successful for the African slots: Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco), Hany Abou Rida (Egypt), Djibrilla Hima (Niger Republic), Kanizat Ibrahim (Comoros), Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania), and Souleymane Waberi (Djibouti). Notably, Kanizat Ibrahim’s election ensures representation for African women, as one seat is reserved for a female candidate.
Pinnick’s defeat marks the end of his four-year tenure on the FIFA Council, where he played a key role in shaping policies and advocating for African football’s growth on the global stage.
Pinnick made history as the third Nigerian to be elected into the FIFA Council, following Oyo Orok Oyo and Amos Adamu. He first secured his seat in March 2021 during the 43rd CAF Ordinary General Assembly in Rabat, Morocco.
Prior to his FIFA role, Pinnick served as the president of the NFF for two consecutive terms, from 2014 to 2022, before being succeeded by Ibrahim Gusau.
The FIFA Council is the governing body responsible for making key decisions in the intervals between FIFA Congress meetings. It consists of 37 members elected for renewable four-year terms.
