FIFA Council member and former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, has stated that his bid for a second term in the global football body is not driven by desperation.
Pinnick is among ten candidates competing for five available seats to represent Africa on the FIFA Council, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) elections set to take place in Cairo, Egypt, later this month.
Speaking on SuperSport’s African Soccer, Pinnick emphasized that his motivation for seeking re-election is to build on the progress made during his first term under FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“My re-election bid is not a must-win at all costs. I have my businesses and other commitments. However, I believe the relationships and achievements from my first term should be used to further the development of global football,” Pinnick said.
He acknowledged the high caliber of candidates vying for the FIFA Council seats and commended Infantino for his leadership, which he believes has strengthened FIFA’s integrity, financial standing, and global influence.
Pinnick also stressed that serving on the FIFA Council is about collective decision-making rather than personal ambition.
“It’s not about Amaju Pinnick, Patrice Motsepe, Fouzi Lekjaa, or Hany Abou Rida. Decisions are made collectively, and the FIFA Congress remains the highest decision-making body,” he noted.
Reflecting on his tenure, Pinnick highlighted significant milestones, including the expansion of the FIFA World Cup format and the success of the recent Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Addressing concerns over Africa’s reduced allocation in the expanded FIFA Women’s World Cup—from five slots to four—Pinnick reassured that thorough consultations were conducted before the decision was finalized.
“If there had been a strong case for increasing Africa’s slots, FIFA and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, as one of FIFA’s Vice Presidents, would have pushed for it,” he explained.
Pinnick faces strong competition in the upcoming election, with nine other candidates also vying for the five FIFA Council seats.
His challengers include Hany Abou Rida (Egypt) and Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco), both seeking re-election, along with Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania), Souleiman Waberi (Djibouti), Idriss Diallo (Cote d’Ivoire), Mathurin Chakus (Benin), Augustine Senghor (Senegal), Djibrilla Pele Hamidou (Niger), and Andrew Kamanga (Zambia).
