Amaju Pinnick: Re-election Bid for FIFA Council “not a do or die affair”

By Dayo Awoniyi

Amaju Pinnick, the former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has reiterated that his bid for re-election to the FIFA Council is not a matter of personal necessity but a commitment to the continued development of global football.

Pinnick, one of the ten candidates vying for five available spots, stated that his goal is to build on the achievements of the Gianni Infantino-led FIFA Council rather than make his re-election a life-or-death pursuit.

“My quest for a second term in the FIFA Council is not a do or die affair. I have my businesses and I stay busy. My primary aim is to ensure that the bridges built during my first term are fully utilized for the greater good of football worldwide,” Pinnick said.

He also acknowledged the contributions of Infantino, praising his leadership for restoring FIFA’s financial health and global recognition. “When he came in 10 years ago, things were not this rosy. He has repositioned the Council, and now it is strong financially and globally respected,” Pinnick added.

Pinnick emphasized that decisions within the FIFA Council are made collectively, stating, “It is not about individuals like me, Patrice Motsepe, Fouzi Lekjaa, or Hany Abou Rida. We work together as a team, and the president listens to various opinions before making decisions.”

The former NFF president also pointed to major accomplishments of the FIFA Council, such as the expansion of the World Cup format and the successful Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

“The World Cup in Qatar and the Women’s World Cup were monumental achievements,” he noted.

On the issue of Africa’s representation in the expanded FIFA Women’s World Cup, Pinnick assured that the decision was made after extensive consultation. “If there was a need to increase Africa’s slots, the FIFA Council, led by Gianni and with CAF President Patrice Motsepe as one of the vice presidents, would have taken action,” he stated.

Pinnick faces stiff competition from other prominent candidates, including Hany Abou Rida of Egypt, Fouzi Lekjaa of Morocco, Yahia Ahmed of Mauritania, and Augustine Senghor of Senegal, in the upcoming FIFA Council elections.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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