NFF President Pinnick wins four-year term on FIFA Council

NIGERIA Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick has been elected into the FIFA Council.

Pinnick, who was appointed as the fifth vice-president of the Confederation of African Football earlier in the day, won a seat on FIFA’s highest decision-making body on Friday in Morocco after his opponents withdrew.

He had been cleared along with Kenya’s Nicholas Kithuku, Zambia’s Kamanga Andrew and Malawi’s Walter Nyamilandou for the two CAF Anglophone slots on the Council.

However, the Kenyan and Zambia candidates withdrew on election day Friday, leaving the coast clear for Pinnick and Malawi’s Nyamilandou, who is re-elected.

Pinnick has therefore become the third Nigerian ever on the Council, which used to be known as the Executive Committee.

Etubom Oyo Orok and Dr Amos Adamu were the Nigerians who previously had seats on the Council.

The FIFA Council consists of 37 members.

The structure has one President elected by the FIFA Congress, eight vice-presidents and 28 members.

Each member serves a term of four years and cannot serve more than three terms.Pinnick is one of six African representatives on the Council.