The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, said on Monday in Marrakech, Morocco that he has gained tremendous experience in football politics by participating in Sunday’s CAF Executive Committee election, which he lost after a run-off.
The Vice President of CAF’s West B zone and member of the FIFA Players’ Status Committee, Maigari on Sunday gave his opponents a serious fight before losing to Beninoise official, Moucharafou Anjorin, in a second vote.
But the Nigerian said though, he is not bitter, CAF should now strive to entrench a system that will allow the finest to emerge to run the game on the continent.
Maigari said: “I wish to start by thanking the Federal Government and the good people of Nigeria for backing me all the way in this election.
“I specially thank the Honourable Minister/Chairman of the NSC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, NFF Executive Committee and Management, the media and all those who supported the campaign.
“The poll was an experience and I have no hard feelings.
“That’s what
life is all about.
“You learn everyday.
“I am proud of the campaign we conducted.
“But it is time that African football begins to put in place a structure that will allow the best to emerge onto the CAF Executive Committee.
“Nigeria football is big, not only because we are the current champions of Africa at both junior and senior levels, but also as a result of what we have achieved in the past, on and off-the-field.
“It is my considered view that Nigeria should always be considered for a seat on the Executive Committee.”
At the General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football in the Moroccan city, the NFF President polled 17 votes in the first round as against 27 for Anjorin and only nine for Hima Souley, a former President of the Niger Football Federation.
However, as CAF rules stipulated that simple majority would be 28 votes, Anjorin failed to emerge as outright winner in the first round
and a run-off was called between himself and Maigari.
A lot of serious politicking and horse-trading went on in the
auditorium before the second round, which Maigari lost 19-35.
Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, Chief Emeka Inyama, who was also at the elections, said: “There should be a new way of conducting these polls.
“The best people should emerge.
“I really cannot understand why someone like Maigari, president of Nigeria FA, and Danny Jordaan of South Africa, who organized the best FIFA World Cup finals ever, should not win seats on the CAF Executive Committee.
“We even have it on good authority that some Nigerians worked against the candidacy of Aminu Maigari, day and night.
“They did everything to sabotage his candidacy.
“It is unfortunate and unpatriotic.”
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