FIFA, CAF Name Observers to NFF Elections 2018

*Pinnick insists: No third term for me if re-elected in Katsina

World football-ruling body, FIFA yesterday named Messrs Luca Piazza and Solomon Mudege as its Observers to Thursday’s elections into the Nigeria Football Federation Executive Committee 2018-2022.

Mudege is FIFA’s Senior Manager for Development Programmes (Africa) while Piazza is a senior official in the FIFA President’s office.

Also on Monday, the Confederation of African Football, through a letter addressed to the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi and signed by CAF Secretary General, Amr Fahmy, designated a Member of its Executive Committee, Mr. Sita Sangare, as its Observer to the big event. Sangare, an army colonel, is also President of the Burkina Faso Football Federation.

The city of Katsina is already bubbling for the much-anticipated polls with the arrival on Monday of an advance team from the NFF Secretariat.

The NFF Electoral Committee put in place by the NFF Congress at the 2017 Annual General Assembly in Jos, Plateau State, which is headed by Barr. Muhammed Sani Katu, will conduct the polls.

The Committee has already cleared incumbent Amaju Melvin Pinnick, former Nigeria international and one-time NFF Secretary General, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, former NFF President Aminu Maigari and Mr. Chinedu Okoye to contest for the presidency.

Incumbent Seyi Akinwunmi will vie with Sunday Dele-Ajayi for the 1st Vice President’s position, while Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah will oppose incumbent Ibrahim Musa Gusau for the slot of Chairman of Chairmen.

A total of 15 other persons will battle for the remaining eight available positions on the Executive Committee.

All 44 Members of the Nigeria Football Federation Congress will cast their votes on Thursday. A number of the voters will arrive in Katsina today.

Meanwhile, Pinnick has declared that the next cycle of the federation board will be his last if he wins on Thursday.

Speaking at a media parley in Lagos at the weekend, Pinnick who also doubles as CAF’s First Vice President insisted that he was sure of being reelected because of the many changes he has brought to the administration of football in the country.

Despite the fact that no incumbent has been returned to the coveted seat in the past dozen or so polls, he believes he can end the no-back-to-back reelection because, “I am a covenant child.”