Pursued At Home Over Financial Infidelity, Rejected by CAF: Double Trouble For NFF President, Amaju Pinnick
By Amaechi Agbo
When on June 6, 2019, the Confederation of Africa Football President, CAF, Ahmad Ahmad was arrested and queried by French Police during the federation’s congress in that country over corruption, news surfaced that Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick ‘would soon be made acting President of CAF’. Few individuals who could not see beyond their nose celebrated the ‘feat’ especially in social media. There was unconfirmed report mooted that the former Delta State FA chairman was gearing up to replace Ahmad once the 6 months ‘reform period’ by FIFA on CAF elapses.
However, on July 1st, 2019, a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant on 5 officials of the NFF including Pinnick over financial infidelity.
The bench warrant was issued following his participation in the ongoing AFCON in Egypt where he serves as the chairman of the organising committee
On July 17th, CAF, after its congress in Egypt, stripped the NFF boss off his position as 1st Vice President of the federation. A position he assumed since the former occupier and Ghana FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi was banned.
The decision to sack Pinnick as CAF second supremo was taken during the body’s Executive Committee meeting in Cairo on Thursday.
Pinnick had served as the first vice-president of CAF since July 2018.
No reason was given for his removal by CAF President Ahmad, who signed an agreement with FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday to confirm the appointment of FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura as a ‘General Delegate for Africa’.
Pinnick’s exit means a reshuffling of Ahmad’s vice-presidents, with Constant Omari of DR Congo and Moroccan Faouzi Lekjaa moving up from second and third vice-president respectively.
Jordaan, who played a key role at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – the only time the tournament has ever been played on the continent – will now act as third vice-president.
Samoura, meanwhile, will start her role on 1 August, renewable after six months should both CAF and FIFA agree, in the hope of overseeing widespread administration reform in Africa.
CAF has been plagued by a series of scandals in recent times.
“We all suffer when we see what is going on here,” Infantino told the presidents of Africa’s member associations as they gathered for a General Assembly in Egypt on Thursday.
The sack by CAF could be regarded as double trouble as the NFF boss is expected to appear before a Maitama Federal High court in Abuja on 26 September to stand trial for alleged misappropriation of monies running into billions belonging to the federation.
The Special Presidential Investigative Panel, SPIP on assets recovery took Pinnick and four other NFF top Officials to court over embezzlement and mismanagement of funds meant for football development in the country.
With the arrest warrant obtained, the NFF boss will be arrested anytime he steps into the country unless he surrenders to the panel.
