Djibouti FA chief declares support for Ahmad for CAF presidency

President of the Djibouti Football Association, Souleiman Waberi, says he intends to vote for Ahmad Ahmad in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) presidential election on March 16.

Waberi’s stance goes against the resolution of the Council for East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA).

The member-associations, at an extraordinary meeting on Feb. 4 in Gabon, agreed to give current CAF president Issa Hayatou their support.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CAF presidential election will take place during the confederation’s congress in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“We as Djibouti are in for change at CAF and our vote will go for Ahmad. We voted for change during the FIFA elections to bring in Gianni Infantino and we are also in for change now,” Waberi said.

When asked about the other 10 members of the CECAFA region, Waberi said he was confident “the majority are also backing a change.’’

Waberi is also contesting to become a CAF Executive Committee member from the Central East Zone.

Last Saturday, the Uganda FA President Moses Magogo said that his executive committee was yet to meet to pick which candidate to vote for.

NAN reports that this was during FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s visit to the country.

Since then, Magogo has said they have met and have decided to keep their vote secret.

The CECAFA region has 11 members —- Djibouti, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Kenya.

Ahmad, the Madagascar FA President, already has support from the Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA).

He also has the backing of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, although other Nigerian FA members have criticised Pinnick’s open support.

Hayatou, who has presided over African football since 1988, is seeking an eighth term.

The Cameroonian was re-elected unopposed during the last CAF presidential elections in 2013.

He had previously stated this term would be his last until a change of regulations altered his stance.

In 2015, CAF voted to change its Statutes which previously stopped officials from serving past the age of 70.(NAN)