Colin Udoh, Special to ESPN 7y

Ahmad, unmasking the man who wants to unseat Hayatou

He is generally known by just one name: Ahmad. Even the CAF press release announcing his candidacy for the position of the presidency had just the one name. Same as his campaign brochure.

It could be for the simple reason that his first name is the same as his surname, which makes it easier to go with Ahmad rather than Ahmad Ahmad.

When the announcement of his candidacy was made, the first reaction from many was Ahmad who? And naturally so. Although a member of the CAF executive committee, Ahmad has been one of the less obtrusive characters.

It is doubtful if he would have run had CAF's own rules not restricted eligibility to candidates for the post to only serving members of its exco.

With none of his colleagues willing to test their own popularity or strength against Hayatou, Ahmad was almost a default candidate.

But while he may look pliable, the 57-year-old Madagascan is no slouch. A former footballer, Ahmad played for Club des Finances de Antananarivo and AC Sotema Mahajanga, both in his country although he was never selected for the national team

"I was not good enough to play for the national team," he told KweséSports.

At the end of his less than distinguished career, Ahmad took to politics, business and education. He was appointed Sports Minister as a 34-year-old, to become one of the youngest ministers in the country and indeed the continent.

While running a printing company and a farm, he took time out to study Sports Administration at the Université Claude Bernard de Lyon in France.

He has served three terms as FA President of Madagascar, and is a very active leader of the Muslim community in his native Mahajanga province which he represents in his country's Senate.

According to Madagascan journalist Haja Lucas "He is the leader of his political party in his region. He got one of the best scores during legislative and communal elections in his region. In our country, Ahmad means football. He is the Man of the Football."

And as a person, Lucas says Ahmad enjoys the respect of most of the country

"He is the leader of muslim and coastal communities in Madagascar. As Madagascar is a Secular State, sometimes, it doesn't seem usual for some people especially from the center of the country to see a true leader from Muslim and coastal communities. But Ahmad has managed to do it."

Not everybody is so enamoured of the upstart challenger. Many FA presidents avoided him like a bad smell during the Nations Cup in Gabon, ostensibly unwilling to put themselves in Hayatou's firing line. Others were just plain hostile "He is in the executive committee, and in some committees, but he hardly ever attends meetings of or contributes anything. How can he make a good leader?"

That lethargy is disputed by his compatriot.

In February 2016, Ahmad was elected as Vice President of the Malagasy Senate, Lucas says the Malagasy people are proud of their son

"Madagascan consider it an honor, pride, privilege for him to be contesting against Hayatou as Ahmad is younger than his opponent and he is really active. He is a person of integrity, direct and perfectionist and he is fully supported by the government and people of Madagascar."

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