Governing Bodies
Baton exchange; Amaju Pinnick formally hands over NFF to Ibrahim Musa Gusau
It was an epic moment at the Nigeria Football Federation office on Tuesday morning as FIFA Council Member and Member of the CAF Executive Committee, Amaju Melvin Pinnick formally handed over the reins of the NFF to the winner of presidential election at the September 30 Elective General Assembly held in Benin City, Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
A convivial atmosphere reigned as Gusau, Board Members Yusuf Ahmed Fresh, Ms Aisha Falode, Essien Udofot and Sharif Rabiu Inuwa, the General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, Deputy General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, other members of Management and NFF Staff gave Pinnick a standing ovation as he walked into the NFF Conference Room at the Sunday Dankaro House.
Pinnick charged the Management and Staff to give Gusau and the new Board maximum support as they gave him and his team, and reiterated that he remained a part of the system and would still be available to offer advice and suggestions whenever such is sought.
“I thank you for your loyalty and support in the past eight years, and the encouragement and support of the Board that I worked with. It was an awesome experience all through and I give God the glory. Football is the winner. I ask for the forgiveness of all those that I might have offended one way or the other, and I crave your support for the new team.
“The General Secretary is a formidable individual, a great administrator and a good man at heart. He is a man capable of stabilizing the new Board. I have no doubt that alongside other members of Management and Staff, they will propel Nigeria Football to new heights.
“As a FIFA Council Member, I am technically in charge of 22 countries including Nigeria. I will always do my best to protect and project the interests of Nigeria at all times. My administration gave its all and raised funds for the programs of the NFF and the National Teams, and built discipline within the National Teams. However, I see the new administration surpassing whatever we achieved. The new President is a strategist who is humble, dynamic and innovative.”
In his response, the NFF President lauded the historic occasion, saying the warm relationship between the old and the new guards is a reflection of the wonderful relationship that was forged among the members of the last board within eight years.
“We assure you, Mr. Pinnick, that we will always reach out to you for your advice and encouragement whenever the need arises. We wish you the very best in your duties and tasks at FIFA and CAF.”
The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:
- CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)
- CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
- CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
- CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)
In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.
The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.
Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)
- President: Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
CAF Technical and Development Committee
- President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Vice President: Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)
CAF Medical Committee:
- President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
- Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)
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Governing Bodies
Nigeria becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council
Laurels on the courts and now glory in the boardroom sums up the mark that badminton is making in Nigeria.
The President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has been elected as a council member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The election took place during the BWF Annual General Meeting on Saturday in Xiamen, China.
Orbih emerged victorious over top contenders from other African countries.
He will join Cameroon’s Odette Assembe Engoulou on the council, while Chipo Zumburani (Zimbabwe) and Hadia ElSaid (Egypt) missed out.
An elated Orbih expressed his gratitude to fellow badminton presidents across the globe for their trust and support.
He said, “I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me by my peers across the badminton world.
“I look forward to quality representation, driving development initiatives, and strengthening badminton’s global reach over the next four years.”
Orbih also acknowledged the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the National Sports Commission (NSC), which he said played a significant role in his successful bid.
“The Chairman and the Director General of the NSC monitored the entire process. I’m grateful for their involvement and confident Nigeria will benefit from this,” he stated.
He further appreciated the BFN board members and the Nigerian badminton community for their prayers and continued belief in his leadership.
“From the day I declared my intentions, the board members of BFN have been supportive, and I promise not to disappoint them,” Orbih concluded.
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A former member of the FIFA Council, Mamoutou Toure, has been released from jail in Mali after almost two years in detention for alleged corruption, Malian media reports said on Wednesday.
Toure, president of the Malian Football Federation since 2019, was released after 622 days in prison on Tuesday.
He served on the FIFA Council, world football’s all-powerful decision-making body, for four years until last month when he lost his seat after failing to contest new elections.
The 67-year-old was arrested in August 2023 on allegations of embezzling $28 million of public funds but was granted a provisional release order by the Malian courts, reports said.
He was accused of misconduct during his time as the National Assembly’s financial and administrative director from 2013-2019.
Toure denied all charges and, during his time in jail, was last August re-elected as Malian Football Federation president for a second consecutive term, with his supporters claiming he was a victim of a conspiracy fuelled by detractors.
While in jail, he received a letter of support from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, as of last month, Toure is no longer a member of the FIFA Council or the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee.
-Reuters
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