Nigeria’s candidate, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, narrowly missed out on retaining his FIFA Council seat, losing by just one vote in the elections held during the 14th CAF Extraordinary Congress in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday.

 

The former NFF President secured 28 votes, falling just short of Ahmed Yahya of Mauritania and Souleman Hassan Waberi of Djibouti, who both received 29 votes to claim seats on the prestigious council.

 

Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa emerged as the top candidate with 49 votes, while Egypt’s Hany Abou Rida and Niger Republic’s Djibrilla Hima Hamidou both garnered 35 votes each.

 

Lekjaa, Rida, Hamidou, Yahya, and Waberi will represent Africa on the FIFA Council alongside CAF President Patrice Motsepe, who was unopposed for a second term. Kanizat Ibrahim from Comoros secured the women’s seat with 30 votes, defeating former FIFA Council and IOC member Lydia Nsekera (13 votes) and incumbent Isha Johansen (7 votes).

 

Meanwhile, Andrew Kamanga (Zambia), Yacine Idriss Diallo (Côte d’Ivoire), and Augustin Senghor (Senegal) received 19, 18, and 13 votes, respectively. Benin Republic’s Mathurin De Chacus withdrew before the vote.

 

In the CAF Executive Committee elections, Alfred Randriamanampisoa (Madagascar) also withdrew, leaving Elvis Chetty (Seychelles), Sobha Mohamed Ally Samir (Mauritius), and Feizal Ismael Sidat (Mozambique) to compete for two COSAFA seats. Samir and Sidat won.

 

Several CAF Executive Committee members were elected unopposed, including Wallace Karia (CECAFA, Tanzania), Samuel Eto’o (UNIFFAC, Cameroon), Mustapha Ishola Raji (WAFU A, Liberia), Kurt Edwin-Simeon Okraku (WAFU B, Ghana), Sadhi Walid (UNAF), and Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Female Seat, DR Congo).

 

Final FIFA Council Representatives:

• Patrice Motsepe (South Africa)

• Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)

• Hany Abou Rida (Egypt)

• Djibrilla Hima Hamidou (Niger Republic)

• Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania)

• Souleman Hassan Waberi (Djibouti)

 

Female Seat: Kanizat Ibrahim (Comoros)

 

CAF Executive Committee Members:

• Samuel Eto’o (UNIFFAC, Cameroon)

• Wallace Karia (CECAFA, Tanzania)

• Sadhi Walid (UNAF)

• Mustapha Ishola Raji (WAFU A, Liberia)

• Kurt Edwin-Simeon Okraku (WAFU B, Ghana)

• Sobha Mohamed Ally Samir (COSAFA, Mauritius)

• Feizal Ismael Sidat (COSAFA, Mozambique)

 

Female Seat: Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (DR Congo)