Massive backing for Motsepe’s CAF bid

JOHANNESBURG. — Influential Nigeria Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick, says he expects Patrice Motsepe to win “35 to 40” of the 54 votes in the CAF presidential election on March 12.

Pinnick has campaigned for Motsepe candidacy against Jacques Anouma of Cote d’Ivoire, Augustin Senghor of Senegal and Mauritanian Ahmed Yahya‚ to be decided in CAF’s elective congress in Rabat‚ Morocco.

Pinnick and COSAFA president, Philip Chiyangwa, attended Motsepe’s launch of his 10-point plan to heal CAF, at Sandton Convention Centre on Thursday.

Both were influential‚ along with SAFA boss, and CAF vice-president Danny Jordaan‚ in Madagascan Ahmad Ahmad unseating 29-year incumbent Issa Hayatou, in March 2017, in Addis Ababa‚ Ethiopia.

Ahmad was banned from football for five years by FIFA for ethics violations in November.

Chiyangwa‚ a panellist at Motsepe’s launch‚ reiterated COSAFA’s decision to vote as a block, of the 14 Southern African FAs, for the South African mining magnate.

Chiyangwa then called Pinnick to the podium‚ asking him to state the “numbers we are looking at,” regarding votes expected for Motsepe’s candidacy.

“The truth is you can see me in South Africa very regularly. I’m super-excited because, for the first time in football in the continent‚ Africa is about to get it right‚” Pinnick said.

“I’m happy because two faces I’m seeing here today‚ either of them would have been the perfect fit for the president of CAF — my brother Moise Katumbi (owner of TP Mazembe in the DRC) and Patrice Motsepe.

“And, that’s the excitement of everybody in Nigeria‚ and it’s the same excitement of everybody on the West African coast.

“So, when you say you (COSAFA) are giving 14 votes — and I said this during Ahmad’s campaign where he got 35 votes — that by God’s grace, we are looking at 40 votes (for Motsepe).

“I travel every day, campaigning for my president (Motsepe)‚ and they say‚ ‘But you are not campaigning for yourself’. I say‚ ‘Let him get in there’.

“So, I can assure you‚ between 35‚ 38 and 40 (votes).”

The Nigerian FA’s declaration suggested West Africa was behind Motsepe’s bid.

Chiyangwa declared confidence in Pinnick’s estimate.

“When I’m working with him, the number he gives is what we aspire to achieve‚” he said.

“The last time we had Ahmad, we had 35, for sure that was what we predicted in Harare.”

Chiyangwa was Ahmad’s chief campaign manager.

The party in Harare was attended by FIFA president Gianni Infantino‚ who was seen, as backing the Ahmad camp.

Infantino‚ visiting Mauritania‚ Senegal‚ the Central African Republic‚ Rwanda and South Africa on a tour of Africa‚ has met with CAF presidential candidates Yahya‚ Senghor and Motsepe.

Motsepe’s campaign has moved to distance itself from speculation that the Sundowns boss is FIFA’s preferred candidate.

Motsepe vowed to unite and develop football on the continent to globally competitive levels.

“I am going to, at all times, make a humble contribution to use sport to unite all Africans,” Motsepe told a press conference.

“We will succeed and make African football globally competitive. The test for me… is what the results are going to be two, three, four years from now.

“Let me start by correcting a matter of misinterpretation and maybe misinformation‚ and maybe more than that.

“(Sports) Minister Nathi Mthethwa (previously) announced very clearly that if the presidency of CAF is won by a South African . . . we will not move the headquarters of Caf from Cairo to South Africa.

“Two days after the minister’s announcement I arrived in Cairo‚ and prominent leaders came to me and said‚ ‘but how can your minister say if you win we are going to move the CAF headquarters from Cairo to South Africa’. So just for the record‚ there is no intention. . . I want to correct that.

“The second (misinformation) one is that if I am elected‚ we are going to use my position as president to undermine‚ disadvantage and embarrass Morocco. Totally incorrect. False.

“There are no agreements or any contracts that have been signed with anybody.

“You only start thinking about specific candidates if we are honoured to be elected as president.

“I must say that I know in business, there is a lot of misinformation‚ but I am learning that maybe football takes the cup when it comes to misinformation.”

Mthethwa, and the presidents of the Nigeria and Benin football associations, Pinnick and Moucharafou Anjorin, were among those backing Motsepe in Johannesburg.

“We have a leader who is not part of that past, a leader who can generate confidence, bring financial stability,” said Jordaan.

“We are presenting a difference-maker.”

Jordaan responded to a question about Morocco being perceived, as having “hijacked” control of CAF, under Ahmad. “I just want to deal with this concept that one country, among 54 member nations, can hijack an organisation.

“There is no such concept‚” he said. — TimesLive.