Pinnick loses FIFA council seat

Abdullateef Fowewe

The former president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, has failed in his bid to retain his seat on the FIFA Council following elections held on Wednesday, at the 14th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football in Cairo, Egypt.

Djibouti’s Souleiman Waberi secured the last available seat with 29 votes, edging out Pinnick, who managed 28.

Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa topped the election with 49 votes, while Egypt’s Hani Rida and Niger’s Djibrilla Hamidou each polled 35 votes.

Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya and Waberi also secured their places with 29 votes apiece.

The outcome marks a setback for Pinnick, who had served on FIFA’s highest decision-making body since 2021 and was hoping to extend his tenure.

However, in the women’s category, Kanizat Ibrahim from Comoros clinched the seat with 30 votes, outpacing Lydia Nsekera (13 votes) and Isha Johansen (7 votes).