Exclusive: “Lekjaa’s Deceptive Scheme” for CAF Presidency with Complicity from “Hany Abo Rida” – Algeria Now Reveals Exclusive and Dangerous Information Regarding the Conspiracy Targeting African Football
✏️ BY: Dzair Tube
Algiers- Algeria, May 6, 2024 – According to exclusive information obtained by the online newspaper “Algeria Now,” the recent appearance of Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, on the Egyptian channel “ON Time Sports” was not merely a routine interview but a carefully orchestrated political maneuver. Sources reveal that the interview, seemingly a standard conversation with a football official, was actually planned by external parties with ulterior motives beyond the scope of sports journalism.
The decision to host Lekjaa on “ON Time Sports” came in the wake of the Egyptian authorities summoning Engineer Hany Abo Rida, where he faced criticism for his perceived passivity towards Lekjaa’s influence within the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Of particular concern to the Egyptian authorities was the prospect of relocating CAF headquarters from Cairo to Rabat, a move seen as a challenge to Egypt’s historical and symbolic position in Africa. They accused Abo Rida of complicity, alleging that he failed to oppose the relocation plans.
In response, Abo Rida orchestrated Lekjaa’s interview on “ON Time Sports” in collaboration with the channel’s management. The aim was to present Lekjaa in a positive light to the Egyptian audience and reassure Egyptian authorities that he was not working against Egypt’s interests, despite rumors suggesting otherwise. The interview was meticulously planned, with questions carefully crafted under Abo Rida’s personal supervision. The primary focus was to improve Lekjaa’s image among Egyptians and enhance Abo Rida’s standing with the authorities.
Notably, the interview, conducted at the Moroccan national team’s training center, opened with journalist Mohamed El Leithy addressing Lekjaa’s negative perception in Egypt. However, El Leithy framed the question in a way that allowed Lekjaa to present himself as the most successful football federation president globally, thus providing him with an opportunity to improve his image among Egyptians.
Fouzi Lekjaa’s Political Maneuvering Exploits Egyptian Weaknesses
Fouzi Lekjaa’s recent appearance on the Egyptian channel “ON Time Sports,” orchestrated by Hany Abo Rida and the interview director, was strategically designed to cater to the desires of the Egyptian audience. Lekjaa’s statements, praising Al Ahly, Zamalek, and the Egyptian people, aimed to portray him as favorable and “clean” in the eyes of Egyptians. Additionally, he lauded Abo Rida and his role in African football, emphasizing how Egypt’s hosting of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations prevented division within CAF.
This calculated conversation sought to foster collaboration between Lekjaa and Abo Rida until the 2025 elections, allowing Lekjaa to ascend to the CAF presidency. The ultimate goal was to relocate CAF headquarters to Rabat, as indicated by informed sources closely following the situation.
Understanding Abo Rida’s Motives
Abo Rida’s collaboration with Lekjaa against Egyptian interests stems from his fear of losing support from Egyptian authorities. He worries that Gamal Allam, the current Egyptian Football Association president, may become Egypt’s primary representative within the African Union. Given the tension between them, Abo Rida is willing to undermine Allam by any means necessary.
Lekjaa’s rhetoric about not competing against Abo Rida serves to present the latter as a strong figure supported by Egyptian media, positioning him as Egypt’s primary representative in CAF.
Moreover, if Allam sidelines Abo Rida, it would not benefit Lekjaa for two reasons. Firstly, Lekjaa effectively controls Allam, who refrains from opposing Lekjaa’s decisions to avoid jeopardizing his position within CAF and FIFA. Secondly, Lekjaa is wary of the close relationship between Allam and Walid Sadi, the President of the Algerian Football Federation, as it poses a threat to Moroccan interests within the African Union.
Abo Rida’s Reluctance to Contest Against Lekjaa
Abo Rida’s effusive praise for Lekjaa during the interview was merely scripted, as sources suggest Abo Rida has no intention of running against Lekjaa in the 2025 CAF elections. At best, Abo Rida may settle for a deputy position, as the Egyptian authorities are unlikely to support Allam’s candidacy due to slim chances of success. Lekjaa currently wields considerable influence, controlling the votes of 40 out of 54 local football federations in Africa. Moroccan authorities support Lekjaa through various tactics, including financial incentives and manipulation of federation heads.
Patrice Motsepe’s Dilemma
Despite the promotion of Fouzi Lekjaa’s candidacy for the CAF presidency, Patrice Motsepe, the current CAF president, is starting to grasp the situation. However, he realizes that challenging Lekjaa would be futile, as he allowed corruption to thrive within CAF without taking action against Lekjaa and his associates. Furthermore, Motsepe’s business interests in Morocco, particularly his ownership of Sanlam, which acquired Saham, a Moroccan company, for $1.5 billion, complicate matters. This deal was seen as a way to bring Rabat and Pretoria closer together, especially since it was concluded shortly after Motsepe’s son-in-law was elected president of South Africa. However, nothing has changed, and South Africa remains steadfast in its supportive positions for the rights of the Sahrawi people to self-determination.
Successful Election Campaign for Fouzi Lekjaa Sponsored by Hany Abo Rida and an Egyptian Channel
Returning to the dialogue conducted by Fouzi Lekjaa on the “On Time Sport” channel, it was essentially an exceptionally orchestrated election campaign. Lekjaa appeared as the man genuinely advocating for the interests of African football. Despite the privileges he currently enjoys due to the corruption within CAF, Lekjaa tried to portray himself as dissatisfied with the African institution. He projected larger ambitions, suggesting that with him, African countries would be able to benefit from their players scattered across various global football pitches. He even expressed hope that an African team would one day win the World Cup. Lekjaa also made sure to defend Arab interests and spoke about an Arab bloc within CAF. However, he fully realizes that this won’t materialize due to his dubious practices, blatant disregard for regulations, and his opposition, even to Arab teams and national interests, as seen in the historical final between Egypt’s Al Ahly and Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca, and the crisis with Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli in this year’s CAF competition, not to mention the current shirt crisis with USM Alger.
Moreover, Lekjaa is exploiting the African Union to achieve some illusory political victories. Were it not for his influence within CAF, he wouldn’t have been able to prevent the Western Sahara Football Association from gaining membership, an odd decision by the executive committee, especially considering that the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a founding member of the African Union.
In summary, Lekjaa has marketed himself very effectively. Many Egyptian media outlets seemed satisfied with his statements, especially journalists close to Hany Abo Rida, who appeared particularly pleased with the outcome of the interview, which seemed like an hour of hypnotic sedation to many Egyptians, led by Saif Zaher on the same channel.
It’s becoming increasingly evident that Lekjaa’s plan, backed by the Moroccan government, to seize complete control of CAF is proceeding at full speed. He has rendered all his opponents powerless, even figures like Abo Rida, who used to be a source of pride for all Egyptians, now seemingly voiceless and irrelevant. Egypt is now at risk of losing the CAF headquarters to Rabat. The recent approval to relocate the African Club Association’s headquarters from Kenya to Morocco confirms this trend, and it seems only a matter of time.
The corruption within CAF, if left unchecked, will pose a greater threat to Algeria. The Algerian national team and all Algerian clubs participating in continental competitions would be vulnerable to biased refereeing and unfair decisions. Therefore, the Algerian Football Federation and the Algerian authorities must recognize this reality. If CAF continues to trample its own laws, as seen in the USM Alger vs. Renaissance Berkane match, revenge against the Algerian Federation, regardless of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling, will be inevitable.
With Lekjaa at the helm of CAF, as planned, the threat will be real. Therefore, the Algerian Federation, with official backing, must strengthen its relations with various African federations, starting with the 14 federations still beyond the control of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. Then, they should strengthen ties with other federations, even those allied with Lekjaa. Additionally, cooperation with the Egyptian and Tunisian federations, especially as Tunisia approaches a new presidential election, will be crucial steps in the right direction. Hopefully, the scandal of the match between Libyan club Al Nasr and Moroccan club Renaissance Berkane in the CAF competition will awaken Libyan FA president Abdelhakim Shalmani from his slumber. We await a rejection from Mauritanian FA president Ahmed Yahya to head the emergency meeting committee to discuss the “imaginary map” issue. It’s rumored that he doesn’t move without Lekjaa’s orders.
In conclusion, Algerian Football Federation President Walid Sadi must act swiftly, but it’s certain that without full and substantial support from the Algerian authorities, he won’t be able to stand up to Lekjaa and his sinister plans alone. Sadi or whoever leads the Algerian FAF must understand that all of Lekjaa’s malicious plans are cooked up in the political and sporting kitchens of the Moroccan government, under the personal supervision of Abdellatif Hammouchi, the head of Moroccan intelligence.
In other words, everyone in Algeria must mobilize urgently before Fouzi Lekjaa becomes CAF president in 2025.
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