Pinnick drops ambition backs Motsepe for CAF presidency

Nigeria Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick of Nigeria has decided against standing for the Confederation of African Football presidency and given his backing to South African Patrice Motsepe instead.

Motsepe, who is described as one of Africa’s richest men, announced his intention to become the next president of CAF on Monday.

The BBC confirmed the chairman of 2016 African club champions Mamelodi Sundowns becomes the third person to bid for the role, after incumbent Ahmad and Jacques Anouma of Ivory Coast.

Motsepe is Africa’s tenth richest man, according to Forbes magazine which estimates his wealth at $2.4 billion.

“CAF must improve its global standing,” said South Africa FA president Danny Jordaan. “He is the most appropriate person we could offer for the leadership of CAF. We do not want any compromise on governance or ethics in football.”

The South African is the second candidate to announce in less than 48 hours, after Anouma – a former member of Fifa’s Executive Committee (now FIFA Council) between 2007 and 2015 – was formally backed by the Ivorian federation on Saturday evening.

Pinnick is now headed for the FIFA Council.

Reigning president Ahmad, meanwhile, submitted his candidacy in October but his ability to contest March’s elections is in doubt given he is set to face a ban from football after being found to have breached various FIFA’s ethic codes, BBC Sport Africa understands.

Motsepe’s bid, which comes ahead of Thursday’s deadline for candidates to formally register their interest, breaks the traditional contestants for the Caf presidency, which has been restricted to high-ranking members of African football’s ruling body in the past.