The Federal Government has spread its influence to some African countries to lobby support for the President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, who is vying for a seat in the FIFA Council.
Pinnick is aiming to become the third Nigerian after Sir Oyo Orok Oyo and Dr Amos Adamu to become a FIFA Council member in an election slated for March 12 in Rabat, Morocco.
According to reports, some top government officials working in the Presidency have written letters to African countries to lobby support for Pinnick’s bid.
It was reported that officials of the sports ministry are treating Pinnick’s FIFA Council election bid with kid gloves. “They are pretending to support Pinnick, but in the real sense, the sports ministry is not doing anything compared to the efforts made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s campaign to become Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as well as the election of Dr Akinwumi Adesina as President of the African Development Bank.
The government of Cote d’Ivoire has stepped up its financial support for Jacques Anouma’s bid to become the next President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Cote d’Ivoire recently pledged a staggering €15.3 million for Anouma’s campaign.
The money approved by Cote d’Ivoire president Alassane Ouattara is designed to outsmart the challenge of one of the other main Francophone challengers, Senegal’s Augustin Senghor.
Meanwhile. the Founder of Inri Spiritual Evangelical Church, Primate Babatunde Ayodele is organising a special prayer session in support of Pinnick’s bid for the FIFA Council seat. Primate Ayodele said he was happy with Pinnick’s achievements in the past seven years, adding that Nigerians need to join him in prayers for the NFF boss in respect of the election.
Ayodele said he strongly believed in the leadership of Pinnick, saying he has brought credibility to Nigerian football.
Amaju Melvin Pinnick is a Nigerian football administrator serving as the current president of the Nigeria Football Federation, 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.