• Pinnick never filed form–NFF
PRESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr Amaju Pinnick, will not contest for a FIFA council seat later this month after CAF did not endorse his nomination.
The elections into the FIFA Council are slated for on September 29 with seven possible candidates have already been announced by CAF, Almamy Kabele Camara (Guinea); Suketu Patel (Sychelles); Kwesi Nyantakyi (Ghana); Ahmad (Madagascar); Augustin Senghor (Senegal); Hamidou Djibrilla (Niger) and Chabur Goc Alei (South Sudan).
The seven shortlisted candidates will undergo the FIFA integrity test, before their names are finally ratified for the ballot.
Investigation by AfricanFootball.com revealed that Pinnick’s invitation of Infantino and 17 other African football federation presidents in July was only a cover-up to seek for support for his bid to contest for one of the FIFA seats, and this much has been confirmed by the man himself.
“As big as Nigeria, we don’t have a representative in CAF or in FIFA, so if I am ambitious to go to CAF or FIFA, yes because I am the president of the NFF, not because I’m just a member,” Pinnick told Lagos Talks FM on Tuesday.
“I am praying about it and if God wills it, why not? But the truth is Nigeria needs a presence globally and this is exactly what we are doing.”
AfricanFootball.com had earlier reported Pinnick’s interest in securing one of the two vacant African seats at the FIFA Council (formerly executive committee).
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation has reacted to the story claiming that the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has rejected the nomination of NFF president, Mr Amaju Pinnick, for a seat on the FIFA Council (formerly known as FIFA Executive Committee).
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, categorically stated that at no time did Pinnick, who is a member of the CAF Organising Committee for the Africa Cup of Nations, filled form to be considered for CAF nomination for the FIFA Council.
“Although the truth is that Nigeria is big enough as a country to have a member in the esteemed FIFA Council, I want to say without any fear of contradiction that at no time did the NFF President, Mr Amaju Pinnick, filled form for CAF to consider him for nomination.
“It is not an illegitimate ambition for a Nigerian to aspire to be in the FIFA Council. In the future, perhaps Mr Pinnick or any other worthy Nigerian who is able to receive the support of the Government will approach CAF to be nominated to the Council.”
Sanusi once more called on some sections of the media to crosscheck their facts before going public with fallacies.
“This administration has always harped on the fact that it does not abhor criticisms. What we are against is sheer falsehood made to look like facts.
“As it is said in the media, facts are sacred and comments are free. It is important to separate facts from opinion.”
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