After the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football concluded their deliberations this afternoon in Rwanda, the body has unanimously decided to endorse the President of Asian Football Confederation Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa as their candidate at this month's FIFA Presidential Elections.
Jerome Champaigne, Tokyo Sexwale, and Gianni Infantino, the three other FIFA presidential candidates present in Kigali, venue of the CAF meeting welcomed the news and congratulated Shaikh Salman for winning the CAF decision.
An official statement on CAF's website read:
"The CAF Executive Committee at its meeting on 5 February 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda, presided over by Suketu Patel, 1st Vice President of CAF and Almamy Kabele Camara, 2nd Vice President of CAF, discussed the 26 February 2016 FIFA presidential elections and have decided to offer its unanimous support to candidate, Shaikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, current President of the Asian Football Confederation, and a FIFA Vice President."
Just few months ago, CAF and AFC signed a 4-year Memorandum of Understanding 'towards the development of football in the two confederations', so the decision is not surprising to some commentators here in Kigali and on the African continent.
The decision of CAF means that Shaikh Salman who is likely to win the entire votes in the Asian Football Confederation is inches closer to the FIFA Presidential seat.
By: Sheikh Tophic Sienu @desheikh1