President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick, has won a seat on the Football Executive Committee Board of the Confederation Of African Football, CAF.
During the election held at the CAF 39th Ordinary General Assembly at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Pinnick, 44, beat longstanding CAF Committee member and head of the Benin Republic Football Federation, Anjorin Moucharafou by 32 votes to 17 to clinch the West Africa B spot on the powerful board.
His victory over Moucharafou capped a remarkable day for the Glass House chief whose friend and ally, Ahmed Ahmed of Madagascar earlier edged Issa Hayatou in a tense presidential election.
The turn of events at the CAF elections comes as vindication to Pinnick who has come under undue fire locally for his bold decision to pitch tent with Hayatou’s contender.
Following his victory today, the former Delta State FA boss stands in a unique position to consolidate his, and Nigeria’s growing powers in the beautiful game as he was last year appointed into the Organising Committee for Competitions at world football governing body, Fifa.
Pinnick was elected NFF president in 2014 after the ouster of Aminu Maigari, and is part of a new breed of forward-thinking sports administrators on the continent.
