The Federal Government has declared its backing for Nigeria Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick’s quest to be a member of the FIFA Council, saying that a victory for him would benefit not just Nigeria but Africa as a continent.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Youth and Sports Development at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the Permanent Secretary, Engineer Nebolisa Anako, said the ministry was ready to support Pinnick in his bid to win a seat on the FIFA Council – the highest decision-making organ in world football – at next week’s Confederation of African Football elections in Rabat, Morocco.

Anako added that Pinnick’s victory would further reposition Nigeria in the global football map, while also indicating that his triumph would follow in the steps of compatriots Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, who was re-elected as President of the Africa Development Bank and Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who recently became the first female/ first African Director-General of the World Trade Organisation.

 “If the NFF president wins the position, it would not be a victory for the Federal Government and all Nigerians alone, but the African continent. He would be a great ambassador of our great country if elected into the FIFA Council. As a member of the CAF Executive Committee, Pinnick is aware of the task ahead and the Federal Government’s support to the actualisation of his dream,” Anako said.

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“On behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, and all Nigerians, we hereby pledge our unflinching support to Mr Pinnick because his victory would be our collective victory.

 “Mr Dare believes Amaju can use his position and connections in CAF and FIFA to help promote and develop Nigeria and African football in all ramifications. Let us be resolute and firm in our support…This is no time to stand on the fence, but to be partakers in the scheme of things.”

NFF’s 2nd vice president, Shehu Dikko, who represented Pinnick at the conference, said, “As a FIFA Council Member, Pinnick will also be automatically a member of the CAF Executive Committee, which gives Nigeria a voice at both global and continental levels. This is not a Pinnick project, but a Nigeria project. If countries like Guinea and Madagascar can have people in the FIFA Council, there is no reason why a big football-playing nation like Nigeria should not.”