Ahead of next month’s CAF Executive Committee elections which would see lots of intrigues and schemings, the former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Lulu, has warned the incumbent NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, to be careful and tread carefully, because of the whirly-windy politics of the CAF.

Pinnick pitched his tent in the camp of the president of the Madagascan FA, Ahmad Ahmad, who is making a bold step to contest against incumbent CAF president, Issa Hayatou, who has been in office for more than 20 years.

Lulu, who gave the advice yesterday in Abuja while interacting with the media, said political decisions like the CAF leadership election have remained sensitive and Pinnick would do well to be careful in taking decisions on behalf Nigeria and Nigerians

He appealed to Pinnick to consult widely with relevant stakeholders like the NFF executive committee, the NFF congress and the Federal Government, before deciding on whom to support, because his decision on such a sensitive matter would have great implications on Nigeria’s image and foreign relations.

Lulu advised that Nigeria would have done better supporting Hayatou, because the Cameroonian has proven, over the years, to be a true friend of the country, as well as a leader that has equally done well for African football.

“It is also a known fact that Hayatou’s intervention influenced my withdrawal of our case before CAS on my illegal impeachment as NFF president and members of the Executive in 2010,” said an ever-grateful Lulu.

In the light of this, it would be highly insensitive of the NFF president to throw his support behind Ahmad, because of Hayatou’s differences with the new FIFA leadership.

Lulu further recalled the unquantifiable support advanced to Nigeria by the Hayatou-led CAF during the country’s hosting of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2009, as well as the hosting of the CAF Congress in the same year.

Lulu further appealed to the Minister of Youth & Sport Development Solomon Dalung to intervene in the matter, since the position of CAF president is a political matter and a determinant of the country’s leading role in African affairs.