Ahmad who is also the boss of the Madagascar FA beat veteran CAF leader Issa Hayatou in the CAF Presidential Election which held at the CAF 39th Ordinary General Assembly at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa on Thursday, March 16.

The 57-year-old ends Hayatou’s 29-year reign as CAF boss with a landslide victory, taking 34 votes from 54 federations of CAF.

Saraki, in a statement described Ahmad as a consummate technocrat, who can help to usher in a new era of innovation and positive change into the affairs of CAF.

He commended the outgoing President of CAF, Hayatou, for his services and immense contribution to the development of football in Africa in his 29-year headship of the body.

"Ahmad's victory is a testament to his message and determination to positively alter the 29-year status quo in CAF,” Saraki said in the statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja,

“Hayatou has served the organisation well, now, we look forward to the new leadership to usher in a new era of change and effectiveness to raise the standard of African football across all levels.

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"This is a new beginning and we cannot afford to make the mistakes of the past. African football has been yearning for a new direction and now that this opportunity to inject fresh blood into the management of the continental body has been realized, it is time for all stakeholders to roll up their sleeves and support the new executive to extend the frontiers and fortunes of African Football at the global level," Saraki said.

The Federal Government through the Sports Ministry who refused to back Ahmed ahead of the elections has remained silent on Ahmad’s win.

While campaigning ahead of the CAF Elections, Ahmed visited Nigeria where he met Saraki.