Ahmad Ould Yahya, the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (FFRIM), is considering running for the presidency of Confederation of African Football (CAF), it emerged on Saturday.
According to a source at the Mauritanian FA who sought anonymity, Yahya has been approached by several highly placed personalities within the football fraternity to stand against current CAF president Ahmad Ahmad.
“Mr. Yahya has been approached by individuals who believe he is an overwhelming favourite to run against Ahmad. He is in the process of consulting following which he will then make up his mind,” the source disclosed.
A wonder-working Yahya has been the president of FFRIM for five years, having been re-elected in May this year for his third term in office.
Under his administration, Mauritania qualified for 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament for the first time in the country’s history.
The CAF Best Football Administrator for 2017, Yahya must stand a reasonable chance against Ahmad in the forthcoming African football body elections, which are likely to be conducted in 2021.
Ahmad, a former Malagasy cabinet minister, came to power in February 2017 after toppling Cameroonian Issa Hayoutou.
But his administration has been rocked with corruption scandals which recently forced FIFA to hand over the mandate to manage football on the continent to FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura.
In June this year, Ahmad was arrested by French officials where he was questioned as part of a probe into corruption, breach of trust and forgery
Ahmad was again in the spotlight this month when CAF revoked the African Champions League win by Esperance Tunis that had been awarded amidst controversy over the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Yahya can expect the support of nations from both francophone West Africa and parts of North and Central Africa.
Ahmad still dominates Sothern Africa and is also believed to hold sway in Eastern Africa.
