Earlier this month, Nigeria's football administrator Amaju Pinick became among the six African leaders to represent the region on Fifa's Executive Council. The Nigerian Football Federation President won a spot in the Fifa Council in a landslide victory, defeating Malawian Football Association President Walter Nyamilandu. Pinick defeated Walter by 43 to eight votes in the Caf General Assembly hosted in Rabat early this month.
Following his victory, Pinnick will be the third Nigerian to represent the prestigious Fifa council's continent. Pinick follows the footsteps of his predecessors Oyo Orok Oyo who represented the continent from 1980 to 1988, and Amos Adamu, who served from 2006 to 2010.
Pinnick will work alongside Egypt's Hany Abou Rida, Mali's Mamoutou Toure, Morocco's Fouzi Lekjaa, Benin's Mathurin De Chacus, and Aisha Johansen from Sierra Leone. The six will represent Africa in the main decision-making body governing world football.
Before being elected during the polls, the Nigerian Federal Government supported Pinnick's bid, as revealed through a signed statement released by Nobolisa Anako – the Ministry of Youth and Sports's permanent secretary.
Speaking on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari and all Nigerians, the statement pledged the country's support towards Pinnick's ambitions, and his victory was welcomed with open arms. Nigerian Sports minister Akin Dare also believes that Pinnick can use his connections and position in FIFA and CAF to develop and promote Nigerian football and the continent.
For years, Nigeria has been a football powerhouse, giving rise to many top players worth wagering on at Betway, although there have been a few challenges over the last few years. Nonetheless, the Nigerian national team is still growing strong, and soccer betting fans can wager on them at the African Cup of Nations this year. The games are available at Betway, with Nigeria having already beaten Benin earlier this week – 27th March.
The 50-year-old boss is currently serving in his second term as the NFF president after he was re-elected in 2018. Pinnick was first elected for the position in 2014. Pinnick was also previously the first CAF vice-president during President Ahmad Ahmad's reign from September 2018 to July 2019, before Constant Omari succeeded him.
Besides his role as a CAF executive in the decision-making body, the Delta-native Administrator is part of the organizing committee planning FIFA Competitions. Fortunately, president Amaju has a good performance record, having passed the NFF bill through the Nigerian Parliament, and it's currently awaiting President Buhari's approval.
While some Nigerians don't believe that Pinnick's appointment will make any difference for the nation's football, the 50-year-old has quickly refuted those claims. In his statement, Pinnick said that thinking the election is only good for him is a sign of selfishness. However, many congratulated President Amaju for becoming one of the most authoritative and influential voices in the sport, not only in Africa but globally.
Pinnick has spent years developing himself, attending different football and international sports expos, conferences, and seminars in different parts of the world. That has helped him build relationships with top stakeholders and sports personalities worldwide. Even better, Pinnick's relentless passion, determination, drive, and enthusiasm for the game are evident in his work.