Benin FA chief berates Nigeria FA boss Pinnick as 'small boy' as CAF Exco elections heat up

Published on: 17 February 2017
Benin FA chief berates Nigeria FA boss Pinnick as 'small boy' as CAF Exco elections heat up
President Muhammadu Buhari gives Pinnick a handshake when he paid courtesy visit with other sports federations in the country in 2016

Benin FA boss Moucharafou Anjorin has launched a berating attack on his Nigerian rival, describing Amaju Pinnick as a 'small boy' with no experience as the duo are contesting for CAF Executive Committee position next month.

Anjorin, a strong ally of CAF chief Hayatou and the incumbent, said he is more qualified than Pinnick to represent West Africa on CAF's highest decision making body the Executive Committee.

The Benin man fired a salvo at his Nigerian rival Amaju Pinnick, who is in his second year as the FA boss, saying the size of Nigeria must not be used as a criteria to elect someone onto CAF's board.

Anjorin's first term as a member of the CAF Executive Committee from West Africa is being challenged by Pinnick in next month’s CAF elections in Ethiopia, while describing the polls as “a war”.

Anjorin is standing for re-election against Pinnick after he defeated Nigeria’s Aminu Maigari four years ago in Morocco.

Anjorin
Anjorin
Anjorin says Pinnick is “a newcomer” to African football after just two years as NFF boss, adding that he hopes to be re-elected after he has supported Nigeria for many years.

“Pinnick is a new comer, he has only two years of his mandate (as NFF president),” Anjorin said in a radio interview monitored Friday morning.

“It’s an election, and Pinnick is my small boy in African football.

“Life is a school and we need to learn and respect ourselves.”

He said the NFF president cannot use the big name of Nigeria to get on the CAF executive committee on March 16.

“It’s a lie for Nigeria to dominate the region and the other countries to only support them,” he said.

“You cannot use the big name of Nigeria (to bully the other countries)

“They have been on the committee for 12, 14 years. This is not their birth right.

“Nigeria should support me because I have supported the country.

“(Also), I’m a Yoruba man from Abeokuta, my older brother holds Nigerian nationality, and Benin and Nigeria are the same.”

He refused to reveal the countries in the West African region who will support his candidacy, insisting “this is war”.

Ghana Football Association (GFA’s) Kwesi Nyantakyi and Anjorin Moucharafou of Benin FA are the incumbent representatives of West Africa but the latter has two more years on his mandate.

Former NFF presidents Ibrahim Galadima and Aminu Maigari have in recent times failed to be elected on the CAF executive committee.

Amos Adamu was the last Nigerian to seat on the CAF executive committee by November 2010 before he was slammed a three-year ban by FIFA for allegedly breaching bribery rules following a sting operation by The Sunday Times of UK.

Pinnick is seeking election into the Confederation of African (CAF) Football Executive Committee board to displace the incumbent and longstanding member Anjorin Moucharafou who is also the head of Benin Republic Football Federation.

Since the exit of Amos Adamu, Nigeria has been relegated to the background with the Francophone countries holding sway.

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