In a fiery and impassioned interview aired on Senegal’s 2STV, Augustin Senghor, the president of the Senegalese Football Federation and former CAF vice-president, unleashed a scathing critique against what he perceives as Morocco’s rising dominance over African football politics.

The backdrop? Senghor’s disappointing performance in the recent FIFA Council elections on March 12, 2025, where he garnered just 13 out of 53 votes. But Senghor says this isn’t about personal defeat—it’s about an alarming imbalance in power.

“This is not about a strongman,” he declared, “but about a country that has tactically embedded itself into every layer of CAF.” He pointed fingers directly at Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, whom he described as the architect of a “meticulously constructed system of dominance.”

According to Senghor, this system is skewing CAF’s leadership and priorities toward a northern bloc, comprised of Morocco, Egypt, and Mauritania, leaving other regions sidelined.

He didn’t hold back on Morocco’s growing influence, even accusing CAF of turning a blind eye to the ethics of allowing Morocco to host matches for nations whose stadiums are banned. “It’s an ethical dilemma,” he lamented, hinting at unfair advantage and structural manipulation.

Senghor emphasized he won’t compromise his principles for a seat at the high table. “I won’t join up just to earn a place at FIFA or lead CAF,” he said, rejecting what he called “a logic of subordination.”

His most striking appeal was a call for unity and reform. “Is this truly the equality our founding fathers, Mandela, had envisioned?” he asked, urging African football leaders to reclaim autonomy and reassert fairness in decision-making structures.

“If we want Africa to be the mistress of its own fate, it must be voiced in our sporting institutions as well.”

Senghor’s bold stand has ignited a crucial debate across the continent—one that pits politics against principles and questions whether African football is truly representing all its people.