Nigeria’s candidate, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, was unable to retain his FIFA Council seat, losing by just one vote during the poll at the 14th CAF Extraordinary Congress held in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday.
The former NFF President received 28 votes, falling short of the 29 votes garnered by both Ahmed Yahya of Mauritania and Souleman Hassan Waberi of Djibouti, who secured their places on the prestigious panel.
Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa received 49 votes, while Egypt’s Hany Abou Rida and Niger Republic’s Djibrilla Hima Hamidou each recorded 35 votes.
Lekjaa, Rida, Hamidou, Yahya, and Waberi will join CAF President Patrice Motsepe, who was unopposed for a second term, as Africa’s representatives on the FIFA Council. They will be accompanied by Kanizat Ibrahim from the Comoros Islands, who won the women’s seat with 30 votes, surpassing former FIFA Council and IOC member Lydia Nsekera, who received 13 votes, and incumbent Isha Johansen, who secured seven votes.
Andrew Kamanga (Zambia), Yacine Idriss Diallo (Côte d’Ivoire), and Augustin Senghor (Senegal) received 19, 18, and 13 votes, respectively, while Mathurin De Chacus from Benin Republic withdrew just before the vote.
In the CAF Executive Committee elections, Alfred Randriamanampisoa from Madagascar withdrew before the vote, leaving the contest for two COSAFA seats to Elvis Chetty (Seychelles), Sobha Mohamed Ally Samir (Mauritius), and Feizal Ismael Sidat (Mozambique). Ultimately, Sobha Samir and Feizal Sidat emerged victorious.
Unopposed for the role of CAF President were Wallace Karia (CECAFA, Tanzania), Samuel Eto’o (UNIFFAC, Cameroon), Mustapha Ishola Raji (WAFU A, Liberia), Kurt Edwin-Simeon Okraku (WAFU B, Ghana), Sadhi Walid (UNAF), and Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Female Seat, DR Congo).
**FIFA Council Seats:** Patrice Motsepe (South Africa); Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco); Hany Abou Rida (Egypt); Djibrilla ‘Pele’ Hima Hamidou (Niger Republic); Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania); Souleman Hassan Waberi (Djibouti).
**Female Seat:** Kanizat Ibrahim (Comoros)
**CAF Executive Committee Seats:** Samuel Eto’o (UNIFFAC); Wallace Karia (CECAFA); Sadhi Walid (UNAF); Mustapha Ishola Raji (WAFU A); Kurt Edwin-Simeon Okraku (WAFU B); Sobha Mohamed Ally Samir and Feizal Ismael Sidat (COSAFA)
**Female Seat:** Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (DR Congo)
