Former NFF president, Amaju Pinnick loses FIFA council seat by single vote

Former Nigeria Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick, has failed in his bid for re-election into the FIFA Council after missing out by just one vote.

At the Confederation of African Football General Assembly in Cairo on Wednesday, March 12, 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 was a setback for Pinnick, who had served on FIFA’s highest decision-making body since 2021 and was hoping to extend his tenure.

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).