Maigari, Lulu, Adamu, Six Others Back Hayatou For CAF Presidency

CAF president Issa Hayatou

Nine Nigerians, who are currently serving in CAF committees have thrown their weight behind incumbent CAF president Issa Hayatou, who is vying to continue in office as the head of the continent’s football ruling body.

Daily Trust report continues:

The Nigerians, among them three former presidents of the Nigeria Football Association -Sani Lulu Abdullahi, Aminu Maigari, Dominic Oneya, said in a statement made available to Daily Trust yesterday that besides Mr. Hayatou’s support for Nigeria’s football development, the other candidate - Mr. Ahmad has not approached them to canvass for votes.

Also, the Nigerians, one of them a serving member of the NFF Executive Committee, accused NFF President, Mr. Amaju Pinnick of unilaterally declaring Nigeria’s support to one of the candidates without seeking their opinion.

“The attention of Nigerian members of CAF has been brought to bear on a publication purportedly issued by the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Mr. Amaju Pinnick declaring support for Mr. Ahmad of Madagascar in the forthcoming CAF elections.

“Since that publication and the attendant ripples in the African continent, we have consulted widely within the executive of the NFF, the sports ministry and indeed football stakeholders in Nigeria and discovered to our dismay that there is no evidence where Mr. Pinnick was mandated to commit this country to supporting Mr. Ahmad.

“Mr. Pinnick as an individual has a right to declare support for whoever he pleases but when such support is made in the name of Nigeria then there is need for extreme caution given the political coloration of CAF elections of which we are well grounded and versed in.

“CAF Elections are not about individuals. Countries support their candidates, finance such elections, set up various committees led by ministers, diplomats and football people to lobby and canvass across the continent in  high level diplomatic sojourns armed with manifesto publications and letters of introduction etc.  

“Regrettably, we cannot claim to have done any of the above, yet the election is less than a month away.

“No Nigerian member of CAF has been consulted nor informed out of courtesy about the ambitions of the NFF President. We do not remember Mr. Ahmad visiting Nigeria to solicit or canvass for votes nor do we have any record of Mr. Ahmad’s pedigree in the running of football in Africa that would have led Pinnick to dangerously throw all of Nigeria’s eggs in his basket. We stand dangerously threatened.

“The same cannot be said of CAF President Issa Hayatou, FIFA Senior Vice President, who overtime has been a pillar of support and true friend of Nigerian football...,” the statement said.

Others who signed the statement were Mr. Amanze Uchegbulam, Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba, Mr. Paul Bassey, Ms Aisha Falode and Barrister Chris Green.