Joseph S. Blatter has been re-elected President of football’s world governing body FIFA.<\/p>\n
Blatter, who is 79, will now serve a fifth term in office having first been elected in 1998.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0retained his presidency following a victory over his sole challenger, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan who pulled out of the elections following a great margin of defeat in the first round of elections in Zurich, Switzerland on Friday.<\/p>\n
Blatter earned 133 votes to Prince Ali’s 73 forcing the elections into a second round, with neither candidate able to secure two-thirds of the votes cast.<\/p>\n
However, Prince Ali conceded, handing Blatter victory in the elections.<\/p>\n
The final result, though widely expected, surprised many who had been expecting a first round victory for Blatter\u00a0despite numerous controversies that have plagued the body during Blatter’s tenure, culminating in the arrest of several key FIFA officials days before the polls.<\/p>\n
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‘God will help us bring back FIFA’<\/strong><\/p>\n Blatter, in his victory speech spoke of his faith that FIFA would return to its past glory and that he would hand over reigns to his successor in a strong position’<\/p>\n “We have some organisational problems. We need women in this committee, we have to do more. I will not touch the World Cup, it is too important.<\/p>\n “I take responsibility to bring back Fifa, with you we will do it, I am convinced.<\/p>\n “I am a faithful man, now God, Allah or whoever we believe in, they will help us to bring back Fifa. I promise you at the end of my term I will give Fifa to my successor in a very strong position.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ‘Age is no problem’<\/strong><\/p>\n Blatter also brushed aside concerns about his age which has often been the main point of contention for his opponents<\/p>\n “The age is no problem. Some people are 50 and look old.<\/p>\n “I like you and I like my job and I would like to be with you. I am not perfect but we will do a good job together. Let’s go Fifa, let’s go Fifa!”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How voting happened<\/strong><\/p>\n Voting in the FIFA Presidential elections was done via a secret ballot.<\/p>\n Each FIFA member state, of which there are 209, voted once with voting done in alphabetical order.<\/p>\n The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had the highest number of votes with 54 associations followed by\u00a0Europe (UEFA) with 53.<\/p>\n Asia (AFC) \u00a0had 46 votes,\u00a0North and Central America (CONCACAF) 35,\u00a0Oceania (OFC) 11 and South America (CONMEBOL) 10.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n By: Edwin Kwakofi\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n