Former Federation of International Football Association's executive committee member Amos Adamu has given his backing to the CAF presidential bid of incumbent Issa Hayatou and has sensationally called the Cameroonian who has been in the saddle since 1988 “a God sent” to Nigeria’s football.
The elections into the executive board of the continent’s football body hold on Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and the former boss of the National Sports Commission spoke exclusively to Completesportsigeria.com as the build-up to the elections continues.
“Issa Hayatou has done a lot of good to Nigerian football, trust me,” Adamu told newsmen on Monday. “When our football was in crisis and FIFA threatened to ban us, who did we run to for help? Hayatou.
“He has stood by us in difficult moments, so now that he needs our little vote, is it fair that we deny him that support? The Nigeria Football Federation should back Hayatou. He is the ‘devil’ we know. It is better for us to support the ‘devil’ we know than the ‘angel’ we don’t know. Hayatou is God sent to Nigeria’s football.
“I don’t know who Ahmad Ahmad is. All I know about him is that he is said to be from Madagascar. We should not let our sentiments becloud our sense of judgement. If they put Hayatou and Ahmad side-by-side, surely I cannot go for Ahmad.”
The President of the NFF, Amaju Pinnick, has openly endorsed Ahmad to be CAF President, while former some other Nigerians have also expressed their support for Hayatou.
Adamu further said that the recent ban imposed on him by FIFA is not reason for his seeming apathy in the administration of Nigerian football. He also revealed that he will not appeal his ban which
took effect on February 28, 2017.
According to the sanctions, Adamu cannot take part in any football-related activity at national and international level for the next two years for ethics violations.
“I have not been too keen on matters concerning the running of the Nigeria Football Federation because I have other interests now,” he added. “Football is a career, either as a player, coach or administrator that you devote plenty of time to. I don’t have any personal problem with anyone.
“And I want to reiterate that the FIFA ban has nothing to do with my stance. The NFF should do the right things. Some people accuse me of so many things but when you are not guilty of something you don’t need to be worked up.
I’m innocent of all the accusations leveled against me anyway. I won’t appeal the FIFA ban.”
Aside from the battle for president, CAF Executive Committee members will also be elected for North Zone, West A Zone, West B Zone, Central Zone, Central-East Zone and Southern Zone. NFF president Amaju Pinnick is up against Benin Republic’s Anjorin Moucharafou.
“No comment on the election for that post. Let the winner from that one emerge before I will have something to say,” Adamu responded on Pinnick’s aspirations to win the election of the members of the CAF Executive Committee for the 2017 – 2021 cycle in the West B zone.
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