Entry Closes For CAF Presidential Race

The curtain falls today on entry for both the CAF presidency and membership of the executive committee. The names of those cleared for the election will be announced on 11 January 2021 while the Elective General Assembly is slated for Rabat on 12 March 2021.

As at last count, interest for the presidency pointed to four candidates, but Sports Village Square gathered that only one had submitted his form as at Tuesday morning.

The incumbent, Ahmad of Madagascar is strongly believed to be disqualified for the election owing to his recent indictment by the FIFA for ethical breaches. No pronouncement has come yet since the indictment.

But it is a time bomb that Ahmad is probably sitting on. Other candidates include surprise, but apparent front runner, South African billionaire, Patrice Motsepe, whom Sports Village Square gathered has been the only one to have returned his form to the CAF headquarters as at Tuesday morning.

Jacques Anouma of Cote d’Ivoire who was controversially disqualified when he challenged the immediate past and long-standing president, Issa Hayatou in the 2013 election has indicated willingness to run again.

Two Tunisians – Tarek Bouchamaoui and Wadie Jary also showed passive interests, but none is believed will run.

Although there have been indications of interests among many, sources in the Confederation of African Football, CAF have informed Sports Village Square that as at Tuesday morning (10 November), the only submission for the presidential position has been that of South Africa’s Patrice Motsepe.

The incumbent, Madagascar’s Ahmad, still observing self isolation in Cairo, Egypt has not yet filed his nomination for re-election.

The latest person to indicate interest is Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya. Considering the dichotomy that runs in African football administration and organisation, the Mauritanian is believed to be the candidate for the Arab bloc and could have the support of Ahmad, should the incumbent president be disqualified.

Senegal’s Augustin Senghor who is also expected to announce his candidature may divide the larger Francophone bloc from where Jacques Anouma comes from.

The final list of the bid is expected to be announced at close of working hours this Thursday.