Chidi Samuel|President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick was on Thursday removed as the first vice president of the Confederation Of African Football (CAF) because he wanted to upstage CAF president, Ahmad Ahmad.
According to sources familiar with CAF politics, Pinnick was removed because he did not provide the kind of support expected of a deputy to the CAF president.
Ahmad believed Pinnick had set up some influential journalists to help derail his tenure before it expires, paving the way for Pinnick to take over CAF presidency.
The source said, “Pinnick brought this on himself because of his arrogance.”
“He felt he could get Ahmad out of the way for him to be installed as the CAF. His personal ambition blind-sided him, forgetting that he attained the 1st Vice President position on Kwesi’s ban from FIFA.
“He was not elected but selected because the president thought he could be trusted and that he could help in steering African football forward.
“But Ahmad could not continue with such a person as his 1st Vice President.”
Pinnick was removed on Thursday at the executive congress of CAF in Cairo, Egypt.
No official reason was given for his removal.
But according to BBC Sports, Pinnick was removed by CAF President Ahmad, who on Thursday signed an agreement with FIFA President Gianni to confirm the appointment of FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura as a ‘General Delegate for Africa’.
“It has been an excellent opportunity to serve as the number two football administrator in the entire African continent,” Pinnick said in a statement after his removal.
He added that “My commitment to the game is perpetual while my support for my colleagues in the Executive Committee remains steadfast.”
Constant Omari who is the president of Congolese Football Federation has however been picked as the CAF first vice president.
Head of the Morocco football ruling body, Mr Fouzi Lekjja will take the position of the second vice president while South Africa’s Danny Jordan head of the South Africa Football Association is the third vice president.
Pinnick served as the first vice-president of CAF since July 2018.
With agency report
Leave a Reply