Hayatou to stand again for CAF presidency

[January 14, 2017]    By Mark Gleeson

LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Issa Hayatou is seeking another four-year term as the Confederation of African Football's president to extend his grip on a position he has held since 1988, the organization said on Friday.

Then acting FIFA president Issa Hayatou drinks from a glass during the Extraordinary FIFA Congress in Zurich, Switzerland February 26, 2016. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

Cameroonian Hayatou, 70, will face a rare challenge, however, after executive committee member Ahmad, from Madagascar, declared his candidacy for the election to be held at the CAF Congress in two months' time.

CAF last year brought in new rules limiting the presidency to just three four-year terms.

The ruling, however, only applies since it was passed in September, meaning Hayatou could extend his tenure by 12 years.

Hayatou, who is also the senior FIFA vice president, was elected unopposed at CAF’s Congress in Marrakech in 2013 and has only twice previously faced opposition, winning re-election easily on each occasion.

The next election is in Addis Ababa on March 16.

(Editing by Toby Davis)

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