CAF president Issa Hayatou, head of African football's ruling body for the last 29 years will today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, face his strongest opponent in the history of CAF presidential elections, Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar to see who will rule football on the continent for the next 4 years.
Hayatou's opponents in the last 29 years either bow out on the last day before elections due to political manipulations or are disqualified as a result of amendments to CAF statutes - but today, Ahmad Ahmad backed by Nigeria's Amaju Pinnick and other African football heavyweights has a huge chance of upsetting the status quo and starting a new era for football leadership in Africa.
If Hayatou wins the election today, it will be his eighth term in office, amounting to 33 years in office by 2021 a sport leadership role equaled only by Jules Rimet, who was President of FIFA between 1921 and 1954.
53 heads of footballing nations associations in Africa who will cast their votes today, and it's worth noting that Hayatou didn't visit Nigeria to do his campaign unlike Ahmad Ahmad who not only visited Nigeria, but met with Nigeria’s Senate President Bukola Saraki and Youth/Sports Minister Solomon Dalung.
NFF president Amaju Pinnick will battle against Benin FA chief Anjorin Moucharafou for the West B Zone seat for the CAF Executive Committee.
Pinnick, NFF Vice Presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, NFF Executive Committee member Ibrahim Musa Gusau and General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi are already in Addis Ababa for the elections.
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