Amaju Pinnick returned as NFF chairman for second term as he sees off challenge at AGM

NIGERIAN Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick has been returned to office for a second term after seeing off a challenge from two opponents at today's annual general summit in Katsina where he was re-elected with 34 votes.

Supervised by Fifa, the election saw Mr Pinnick being challenged by former NFF chairman Alhaji Aminu Maigari, ex-NFF secretary-general Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi and club chairman Chinedu Okoye. Solomon Mudege of Zimbabwe, Sita Sangare of Burkina Faso and Luca Piazza of Switzerland were the official election observers, which went ahead smoothly despite objections by Nigeria's sports minister Solomon Dalung.

Opened by the Katsina State governor Aminu Masari, the victory means that Mr Pinnick will pilot the affairs of Nigerian football until 2022. He becomes the first ever NFF chairman to be elected for a second term and has promised that by 2022, he will make Nigerian football totally financially independent of the government.

Following the elections, Mr Pinnick secured 34 votes, Alhaji Maigari, the runner-up ended up with eight votes, Chief Ogunjobi got two votes, while Mr Okoye got no votes. With this landslide victory, it is now expected that peace will return to the NFF and all those disputing Mr Pinnick's chairmanship will sheath their swords.

Mr Pinnick said: "We have proven that with our national teams the NFF has a very marketable brand, largely thanks to the sheer size of our fan base and international appeal, so it is possible to achieve this financial independence."

Also, at the elections, incumbent first vice chairman Seyi Akinwunmi was returned, defeating challenger Sunday Dele-Ajayi by 41 votes to two.  In the battle to become the chairman of the committee of state FA chairmen, Ibrahim Gusau , was returned unopposed after he challenger Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah withdrew following the victory of Mr Pinnick who he had opposed.

All 44 members of the NFF congress voted at the summit, which was described by Colonel Sita Sangare, the chairman of the Burkina Faso football association and Confederation of African Football representative as free and fair. Mr Pinnick and his board sealed some ground-breaking sponsorship agreements with the private sector during his first term and he has pledged to continue this trend.