The Nigeria Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick announced on Wednesday that he will not seek for a third term in the presidential elections scheduled for 2022.
Pinnick, who turned 50-year-old on Tuesday, won the second four-year mandate in 2018 during an elective congress that was held in Katsina State.
The question for a third-term for Pinnick has fuelled suspicion since the suspension of Confederation of African Football president Ahmad Ahmad.
Pinnick served as Ahmad’s assistant before he was removed in 2019 as the number two football administrator of the entire African continent.
He has long maintained his vagueness over his candidacy for a third term while indicating that the Nigeria Football Federation’s constitution allows him to do so.
“I made my decision even before earning the second mandate on 20th September 2018. I will not be running for the NFF Presidency again. I want to thank the Members of the Congress, my colleagues on the Executive Committee, Management and Staff, and stakeholders of the game for their support. I will be stepping off in 2022 to give another person the opportunity to lead Nigeria Football. That is the truth,” said Pinnick who is a CAF executive committee member in an interview with Abuja Press.
Pinnick has already confirmed his intention of running for a bigger position and that is membership at FIFA Council during the next Elective Congress of the Confederation of African Football scheduled for March 21, 2021 in Rabat, Morocco.
“I have consulted wide and this is the route I feel comfortable to take for now. Membership of the FIFA Council also confers a lot of responsibility on one and you have the opportunity to make crucial contributions to the running of world football,” he stated.
Pinnick was earlier touted as a candidate for Confederation of African Football (CAF) presidency, but the former CAF Vice president has thrown his weight behind the candidature of South African billionaire, Dr Patrice Motsepe.
“For the CAF Presidency, we are supporting the aspiration of Dr Patrice Motsepe of South Africa. We believe he has the clout, means and organizational savvy to take CAF from its present low level to a place of regard and respect among the six confederations of FIFA,” the NFF Chief noted.
If Pinnick wins the FIFA Council seat, he becomes the third Nigerian after Oyo Orok Oyo (1980 to 1988) and Amos Adamu (2006 to 2010) to be elected to the Council.
