ACCRA: Tokyo Sexwale’s strategy of building his FIFA election campaign on repeated references to Nelson Mandela has been ridiculed by Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Tokyo Sexwale . . . one of five candidates for the election on February 26

Sexwale, a political prisoner at Robben Islands with Mandela during South Africa’s apartheid era, has made the personal connection a central feature of his speeches in support of his candidacy to succeed disgraced and banned Sepp Blatter as the head of the world football federation.

The 62-year-old visited Accra in pursuit of votes from members of the West Africa Football Union.

Nyantakyi was unimpressed, telling local radio station Happy FMsaying: “Sleeping in the same prison room with Nelson Mandela is not enough to win the FIFA presidency.

“We have listened to all the candidates and we know what each of them is bringing on board and who shares in our vision.

“You can read from them that some are very serious about their bid and others are just walking through – just like Tokyo Sexwale.

“He came to one of our executive committee meetings at CAF and all his campaign messages were just that: ‘I was the rugby secretary at Robben Island . . . I was the chairman of the football team at Robben Island . . . I slept in the same room with Mandela at Robben Island and so on.

“It is almost funny: those  things are not enough to win you the FIFA presidency.”

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