Nigeria's Amaju Pinnick is dismissed as Caf vice-president

[Cito]

Nigeria's Amaju Pinnick has been dismissed from his role as a vice-president of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and replaced by South Africa's Danny Jordaan.

Pinnick had served as the first vice-president of Caf since July 2018.

No reason was given for his removal by Caf President Ahmad, who signed an agreement with Fifa President Gianni Infantino on Thursday to confirm the appointment of Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura as a 'General Delegate for Africa'.

"It has been an excellent opportunity to serve as the number two football administrator in the entire African continent," Pinnick said in a statement.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49035492

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

Good. Now he can focus on continuing his job as the excellent chair of the NFFq

[cchinukw]

Good. Now he can focus on continuing his job as the excellent chair of the NFFq

Other Africans know something we don't

[Odas]

Good. Now he can focus on continuing his job as the excellent chair of the NFFq

Other Africans know something we don't

What do you think such might be, Oga 'CCHINUKW?' Any suggestion or guess?

[ohenhen1]

What was the reason?

[Odas]

For me, I think the President got mad because he wasn't supported by Pinnick when he was arrested and is afraid Pinnick might take his job from him. To be safe, he relieved Pinnick of the position and appointed who he thinks will support/protect him

[The Eagle]

The clouds surrounding Ahmad and Pinnick are part of the reason we Africans are faced with the unprecedented indignity of FIFA "colonization". Some people would have immediately resigned after their superiors effectively "tried" and "convicted" them (in public view) of fiscal and administrative incompetence, and then publicly defenstrated them. If not resignation, at least FIGHT the move, arguing your side in the court of public opinion as well as institutionally. But both Ahmad and Pinnick signed off on this "colonization", which creates the impression that their hand is weak in terms of any self-defence. See Pinnick's response to his sacking, as meek as meek can be.

It should be noted that the money Pinnick is accused of "misappropriating" (i.e. stealing) was money FIFA gave the NFF .... and that it is that same FIFA that is sacking him from CAF, even if they used Ahmad's letterhead and signature stamp to do it.

Pinnick needs to take a leave of absence and face the criminal charges, instead of making excuses to delay, postpone and adjourn. I've been in charge of institutional/corporate funds, and if you accused me of "misappropriation" (i.e. theft), you best believe I would instantaneously clear my name so thoroughly you'd have no grounds to begin a criminal case. For this very reason, you don't spend so much as a kobo without simultaneously compiling judicially credible evidentiary support for whatever you did with the money, and why you did it. Pinnick either has exculpatory evidence, or he doesn't. Let us get it over with, and move on.

PS: He should not be allowed to encumber the NFF with medium- or long-term liabilities until his own future is made clear, one way or another.

[theYemster]

For me, I think the President got mad because he wasn't supported by Pinnick when he was arrested and is afraid Pinnick might take his job from him. To be safe, he relieved Pinnick of the position and appointed who he thinks will support/protect him

That's my thinking as well.

[kash n' karry]

oh my sweet Jesus... . this is good retribution... .NOW LET US FINISH DA WORK DISMISS PINNICK AS THE NFF BOSS TOO !!

Oya Naija peeps ...lets balance da equation,,, now now
======================================
Aaaaaaagggggghhhh gaaadddammmnnn ittt !! wherez my Heineken + big wet bubble booty chics ?

[pajimoh]

That didn't last long. Egg head and 1Naira are shady characters. Never trust anyone eith that head shape.

[seloweizer]

Nigeria will never progress...With people like Amaju Pinnick running our football..

[proclaimjesus02]

Didn't Pinnick snub Rohr yesterday in everyone's full glare? Almost refusing to adorn him with the medal.


https://dailypost.ng/2019/07/18/nigeria ... video/amp/

[pajimoh]

="proclaimjesus02"]Didn't Pinnick snub Rohr yesterday in everyone's full glare? Almost refusing to adorn him with the medal.


https://dailypost.ng/2019/07/18/nigeria ... -video/amp

I thought he wanted him to stay and planning a refresher course in Germany?

[The Eagle]

For me, I think the President got mad because he wasn't supported by Pinnick when he was arrested and is afraid Pinnick might take his job from him. To be safe, he relieved Pinnick of the position and appointed who he thinks will support/protect him

That's my thinking as well.

Ahmad does not have the power to sack or appoint anyone. In fact, he has no power whatsoever.

All power in CAF is currently held by Infantino, exercised via Samoura for reasons of political correctness.

[mcal]

The clouds surrounding Ahmad and Pinnick are part of the reason we Africans are faced with the unprecedented indignity of FIFA "colonization". Some people would have immediately resigned after their superiors effectively "tried" and "convicted" them (in public view) of fiscal and administrative incompetence, and then publicly defenstrated them. If not resignation, at least FIGHT the move, arguing your side in the court of public opinion as well as institutionally. But both Ahmad and Pinnick signed off on this "colonization", which creates the impression that their hand is weak in terms of any self-defence. See Pinnick's response to his sacking, as meek as meek can be.

It should be noted that the money Pinnick is accused of "misappropriating" (i.e. stealing) was money FIFA gave the NFF .... and that it is that same FIFA that is sacking him from CAF, even if they used Ahmad's letterhead and signature stamp to do it.

Pinnick needs to take a leave of absence and face the criminal charges, instead of making excuses to delay, postpone and adjourn. I've been in charge of institutional/corporate funds, and if you accused me of "misappropriation" (i.e. theft), you best believe I would instantaneously clear my name so thoroughly you'd have no grounds to begin a criminal case. For this very reason, you don't spend so much as a kobo without simultaneously compiling judicially credible evidentiary support for whatever you did with the money, and why you did it. Pinnick either has exculpatory evidence, or he doesn't. Let us get it over with, and move on.

PS: He should not be allowed to encumber the NFF with medium- or long-term liabilities until his own future is made clear, one way or another.

...you must not be a Nigerian to have such good clear conscience

[Enugu II]

Victor Gomes ‘replaced’ as Afcon final referee, Danny Jordaan now Caf vice-president
https://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/afri ... t-29471037
AFRICA / 18 JULY 2019, 8:32PM / STAFF WRITER AND REUTERS


In a dramatic turn of events, South Africa’s Victor Gomes will not be the referee for the Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Algeria on Friday.

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) had announced on their Twitter account this week that Gomes was chosen to be the man in the middle.

But on Thursday, they released the list of match officials, and instead, it was Alioum Alioum of Cameroon who was chosen.

This comes after the SA Football Association congratulated Gomes on Wednesday.

“We would also like to say thank you to Caf for showing confidence in our match officials. Once again, good luck to Victor and his team,” said Tenda Masikhwa, the head of department: referees at the Safa.

Gomes is not part of the group at all, although another South African in assistant referee Zakhele Siwela will be the third assistant video referee.

Meanwhile, Safa president Danny Jordaan was chosen as a new third vice president of Caf on Thursday.

Caf president Ahmad Ahmad fired his deputy Amaju Pinnick just as global governing body Fifa were releasing details of a road map to put the crisis-hit organisation back on its feet.

Ahmad, who is being investigated by Fifa’s ethics committee for alleged corruption, sacked Pinnick, the president of the Nigerian Football Federation, at a hastily-assembled meeting of the Caf executive committee.

“I’ve changed my cabinet,” Ahmad told a news conference.

Pinnick released a statement saying his term was up and he agreed with the Caf president not to renew it.

But senior Caf sources told Reuters: “Pinnick was standing up to Ahmad and taking him on in many issues, and Ahmad felt it right to get rid of him.”

Ahmad appointed Constant Omari of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Pinnick’s place as first vice president, which means that if Ahmad is removed as Caf president once Fifa have completed its probe, one of his supporters will step up to replace him at the helm of African football.

Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa will be the second vice president[Take note of this move here and the increasing 'capture' of CAF by Morocco] and Jordaan of South Africa the third vice president.

The appointment of the vice presidents is the prerogative of the Caf president. They are not elected posts.

“I would like to thank the Caf President for his display of confidence and trust in my ability to assist with addressing the challenges of African football, of which I am looking forward to,” Jordaan said in a Safa statement on Thursday.

Ahmad has in the space of three months fired his general secretary, who reported him to Fifa, his finance director and now senior deputy.

Fifa will next month take over the running of Caf in what is seen as a compromise agreement with Gianni Infantino, the president of world soccer’s ruling body, for Ahmad to stay in power.

Ahmad was detained by French police in June and questioned over a sportswear deal between Caf and a French company in which the African body is said to have paid exorbitant prices for equipment it could have got much cheaper directly from the manufacturers.

Fifa are sending their Senegalese secretary general Fatma Samoura on a nine-month secondment from August to overhaul Caf in accordance with an 11-point plan that includes possible changes to the format of competitions, a review of refereeing and a task force to improve stadium security.

Samoura will also oversee a review of Caf’s judicial bodies, full transparency of money flows and implementation of good governance principles.

[The Eagle]

EII,

When it comes to power politics, public statements should never be taken at face value. When a president sacks a minister for personal or political reasons, the public statement is that the president has accepted the minister's resignation. When a prime minister is forced by his party rivals to sack some allies from his cabinet, the statement is that it was an already scheduled cabinet reshuffle designed to rejuvenate his team. A government struggling to contain an insurgency will issue a public statement that the insurgents have been technically defeated. Always the effort to portray to the public a sense of still being in control.

FIFA, for their part, issue public statements that they are in partnership with CAF, when they have taken complete control. The question is .... why? It can't be "corruption", because all big-time commercial sports are "corrupt" .... heck, massive "corruption" at CONCACAF was exposed without a FIFA takeover. Something happened, or is going to happen, or is feared will happen .... and nobody is being fully honest about what it is. The people who you'd expect to fight CAF's corner are being scrupulously acquiescent. Why?

PS: This propaganda of Pinnick standing up to Ahmad is funny, and probably comes from one of Pinnick's allies in the confederation.

[chief nfachairman]

Victor Gomes ‘replaced’ as Afcon final referee, Danny Jordaan now Caf vice-president
https://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/afri ... t-29471037
AFRICA / 18 JULY 2019, 8:32PM / STAFF WRITER AND REUTERS


In a dramatic turn of events, South Africa’s Victor Gomes will not be the referee for the Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Algeria on Friday.

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) had announced on their Twitter account this week that Gomes was chosen to be the man in the middle.

But on Thursday, they released the list of match officials, and instead, it was Alioum Alioum of Cameroon who was chosen.

This comes after the SA Football Association congratulated Gomes on Wednesday.

“We would also like to say thank you to Caf for showing confidence in our match officials. Once again, good luck to Victor and his team,” said Tenda Masikhwa, the head of department: referees at the Safa.

Gomes is not part of the group at all, although another South African in assistant referee Zakhele Siwela will be the third assistant video referee.

Meanwhile, Safa president Danny Jordaan was chosen as a new third vice president of Caf on Thursday.

Caf president Ahmad Ahmad fired his deputy Amaju Pinnick just as global governing body Fifa were releasing details of a road map to put the crisis-hit organisation back on its feet.

Ahmad, who is being investigated by Fifa’s ethics committee for alleged corruption, sacked Pinnick, the president of the Nigerian Football Federation, at a hastily-assembled meeting of the Caf executive committee.

“I’ve changed my cabinet,” Ahmad told a news conference.

Pinnick released a statement saying his term was up and he agreed with the Caf president not to renew it.

But senior Caf sources told Reuters: “Pinnick was standing up to Ahmad and taking him on in many issues, and Ahmad felt it right to get rid of him.”

Ahmad appointed Constant Omari of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Pinnick’s place as first vice president, which means that if Ahmad is removed as Caf president once Fifa have completed its probe, one of his supporters will step up to replace him at the helm of African football.

Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa will be the second vice president[Take note of this move here and the increasing 'capture' of CAF by Morocco] and Jordaan of South Africa the third vice president.

The appointment of the vice presidents is the prerogative of the Caf president. They are not elected posts.

“I would like to thank the Caf President for his display of confidence and trust in my ability to assist with addressing the challenges of African football, of which I am looking forward to,” Jordaan said in a Safa statement on Thursday.

Ahmad has in the space of three months fired his general secretary, who reported him to Fifa, his finance director and now senior deputy.

Fifa will next month take over the running of Caf in what is seen as a compromise agreement with Gianni Infantino, the president of world soccer’s ruling body, for Ahmad to stay in power.

Ahmad was detained by French police in June and questioned over a sportswear deal between Caf and a French company in which the African body is said to have paid exorbitant prices for equipment it could have got much cheaper directly from the manufacturers.

Fifa are sending their Senegalese secretary general Fatma Samoura on a nine-month secondment from August to overhaul Caf in accordance with an 11-point plan that includes possible changes to the format of competitions, a review of refereeing and a task force to improve stadium security.

Samoura will also oversee a review of Caf’s judicial bodies, full transparency of money flows and implementation of good governance principles.

E2,
I was about to do same with this piece.
1. He was standing up to Ahmad on issues.
2. He was not a yes man
3. Ahmad has been connected to fraud and pinnick is in the opposing camp
4. All the names involved in this corruption scandal, Pinnick has never been mentioned and infact has been in the opposition
5. By the next election, Nigeria should put pinnick up for the CAF Presidency.

[Enugu II]

EII,

When it comes to power politics, public statements should never be taken at face value. When a president sacks a minister for personal or political reasons, the public statement is that the president has accepted the minister's resignation. When a prime minister is forced by his party rivals to sack some allies from his cabinet, the statement is that it was an already scheduled cabinet reshuffle designed to rejuvenate his team. A government struggling to contain an insurgency will issue a public statement that the insurgents have been technically defeated. Always the effort to portray to the public a sense of still being in control.

FIFA, for their part, issue public statements that they are in partnership with CAF, when they have taken complete control. The question is .... why? It can't be "corruption", because all big-time commercial sports are "corrupt" .... heck, massive "corruption" at CONCACAF was exposed without a FIFA takeover. Something happened, or is going to happen, or is feared will happen .... and nobody is being fully honest about what it is. The people who you'd expect to fight CAF's corner are being scrupulously acquiescent. Why?

PS: This propaganda of Pinnick standing up to Ahmad is funny, and probably comes from one of Pinnick's allies in the confederation.

The Eagle

Clearly it was a political fight. The CAF president appoints his own VPs by statute. Although Amaju's term as VP expired, the fact that Ahmad did not nominate him again spoke volume. There is a confidential letter indicating why this may have occurred.

[The Eagle]

The Eagle

Clearly it was a political fight. The CAF president appoints his own VPs by statute. Although Amaju's term as VP expired, the fact that Ahmad did not nominate him again spoke volume. There is a confidential letter indicating why this may have occurred.

Yeah, but how things are supposed to operate "by statute" and how they work in the real world are not the same thing. Presidents are constitutionally empowered to nominate their own cabinets, but it is not quite that simple. Some presidents have been puppets of more powerful figures, nominating the list given to them by a strongman. Some presidents are in office by the consensus of outside figures, and must balance the lists given to them by other people. Never mind Buhari's cabinets, that take too long for "stakeholders" to agree on, and that are filled with people his wife says he does not know.

I suppose we can wait and see if Samoura reengages Pinnick when she openly takes over in August. If she does, we can say Ahmad was stirring the pot once last time, and if she doesn't, we can say that she delegated to Ahmad the politically delicate task of seeing off Pinnick so she wouldn't have to do it herself.

[The Eagle]

The "misappropriation" charges Pinnick is facing are centred on Nigeria, and not CAF, though at least one of the allegations appears to involve CAF. Among other things, the NFF says it paid $500 thousand to CAF .... but CAF told investigators it had received no such payment from NFF, and that the event the NFF was supposedly paying for was free of charge to all CAF member associations. Sauce.

I wonder if someone from CAF will have to testify in court in Abuja .... and whether Nigeria is legally entitled to subpoena CAF records to see if the payment was credited or not.

[Orion]

Seems they have personal differences as to the direction of CAF. Anyway, I think Ahmad is also toast. I doubt very much he will be reelected considering the embarrassment of FIFA having to pilot in someone to clean up the mess in CAF.

---------------------------

https://punchng.com/pinnick-removed-as- ... president/

Reports say CAF president Ahmad Ahmad, who replaced longest-serving Issa Hayatou in 2017, no longer has the support of Pinnick, who played a key role in the ouster of Cameroonian Hayatou and the installation of the Madagascan as the new head of the continental football body.

According to reports, relationship between Pinnick and Ahmad had been frosty since the Nigerian became the vice president, with Pinnick’s decision to walk out of a controversial vote to order for a replay of the 2019 CAF Champions League final, believed to be the final straw that broke the camel’s back.

But a statement from the NFF Communications Department said Pinnick’s tenure as CAF 1st vice president was not renewed by Ahmad after it expired on Thursday, due to “fundamental differences on focus and direction.”

[ANC]

Nigeria will never progress...With people like Amaju Pinnick running our football..

Nigeria has never had it better. He's done a good job.