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This week in Sudan, Nigeria’s representative Ibrahim Galadima
will be seeking to secure a seat on FIFA’s executive board but his aspiration
for a seat on the Confederation of Africa Football has been blocked by Amos
Adamu’s appeal at the Court Arbitration for Sports.

This was revealed to Nigeria Minister of Sports, Taoheed
Adedoja, in Sudan on Friday by Confederation of African Football President,
Issa Hayatou. Hayatou told the head of the Nigerian delegation that since
Adamu’s case is on appeal, his seat in the confederation cannot be said to be
vacant. Adamu’s term in CAF does not expire until 2013, but his tenure in FIFA
has run its course which is why Galadima will be contesting for that position.

Adamu had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports after
the FIFA Appeals Committee upheld sanctions placed on him by FIFA’s Ethics
Committee for breaching the code of ethics of the world’s football governing
body. The Ethics Committee had in December 2010 banned Adamu from all football
related issues for three years for his role in the cash-for-vote scandal during
the World Cup bid process.

His first appeal was thrown out in January before he turned to
his last resort, the Court of Arbitration for Sports.

Frantic moves were made to persuade him to drop the appeal for
Nigeria’s gain but to no avail, a move that football watchers have said will be
detrimental to Galadima’s bid come Wednesday.

The FIFA seat

Galadima is locked in a six-way battle for one of two FIFA seats
made available to CAF, which is headed by Cameroonian, Issa Hayatou. Hayatou,
who has been at the head of CAF for 24 years, is automatically guaranteed a
seat on FIFA’s executive committee.

The first seat was initially occupied by Adamu, while the second
became vacant because the term of Cote d’Ivoires’s Jacques Anouma has come to
an end.

Galadima will be up against Zambia’s Kalusha Bwalya, Suketu
Patel of the Seychelles, Mohamed Raouraoua of Algeria, Danny Jordaan of South
Africa and Jacques Bernard Anouma of Cote d’Ivoire, who is seeking re-election.

Weak support

Some Nigerians say Galadima’s chances and indeed Nigeria’s of
retaining the FIFA seat is slim even though the country’s delegation to Sudan
includes the Minister of Sports, Taoheed Adedoja, Patrick Ekeji and Aminu
Maigari.

“The entire process has been mismanaged, mishandled and over
politicised by all those that are involved. It is a national project in which
the President, Vice President and the entire federal executive council should
have taken seriously,” Ahmed Gara Gombe said, adding that Galadima’s chances
are slim.

“The dual nomination for a seat has presented Nigeria as lacking
in foresight and direction. Adedoja should have realised that Adamu’s suspension
left no caveat for him to fall on. As a minister of the Federal Republic, he
should have concentrated efforts on ensuring that Nigeria’s real candidate
enjoys the backing of the federal government instead devoting resources on
beating a dead horse,” Gombe added, referring to Adamu’s first appeal, which
was eventually thrown out by FIFA’s Appeals Committee.

For his part, Galadima has said it is not a do or die affair.
“I’m not desperate for the position and never lobbied to be nominated,” he
said. “No one was born a CAF/FIFA executive member and no one will so die.”

Jordaan favoured

The 33rd CAF Ordinary Assembly will be attended by
representatives of the 53-affiliated National Associations, to review the
activities of the previous year, approve financial statements, elect members on
the Executive Committee and discuss issues relating to the development of the
game on the continent. It is the third time Sudan is hosting the General
Assembly, having held it in 1970 and 2007.

Danny Jordaan, who was the chairman of the Local Organising
Committee of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, said he is pulling out of the
CAF Executive Committee election to seek the FIFA seat.

“I am standing for election to the FIFA executive because I feel
I can make a contribution towards the development of football across the
continent and the world. I think the experience I gained working on various
FIFA organs for the past 20 years has given me the background to what’s needed
to make a difference,” said Jordaan, who is considered a favourite for the FIFA
seat.

Whoever gets to be elected will be expected to help Africa develop the game
domestically and improve its lot in international competitions.