I’m Not Running For Third Term – Pinnick

ABUJA - The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick has revealed that he is eligible to run for a third four-term as the head of the country’s football body but would not.

While speaking on Arise TV, Pinnick said he wouldn’t be vying for the position at the forthcoming 2022 NFF elections in June.

Pinnick revealed that his family is influencing his decision to withdraw from the NFF presidential contest.

According to him, his family alleged that his tenure as president has taken its toll on the time he spends with them.

“Am I eligible to run? Yes! I am eligible to run based on our (NFF) status. Do I want to run at this moment? It’s a no-no because my family says so at the moment.”

“My family is very key to me, family first.”

“They say that I’ve put in my all and put in my best. They say that it’s taken a toll on me and taken a toll on the family. They believe that it’s time that I move on”, Pinnick added calling the decision, ‘very regrettable’.

The 51-year-old administrator became president of the NFF after he was first elected in September 2014. He was then re-elected in September 2018, for the second term of four years.

Under Pinnick, the male and female national teams failed to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after the U17 and U20 men’s teams could not qualify for their respective World championships.

Similar cases played out with the Super Eagles who in 2015 and 2017, failed to qualify for back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations, leading to calls for the NFF president and his board to resign.

Recently, heat turned up on Pinnick and his board members, after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.