The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has only ever had five presidents in its 60-year history and the last time a new leader was appointed was way back in 1988.
Thursday's election in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, could herald a change, but long-time incumbent, Cameroon's Issa Hayatou, is not giving up without a fight.
Hayatou, in charge for nearly three decades, has often been re-elected unopposed. On the two occasions when he did face a challenge, he won with landslides amongst the electorate of presidents of Africa's football associations.
In 2000, he beat Angola's Armando Machado by 47-4 votes and four years later he defeated Ismail Bhamjee of Botswana by 46-6 votes.
As he seeks an eighth term on Thursday, taking on Madagascar FA head Ahmad Ahmad, Hayatou knows that victory this time around will not come nearly as easily.

Whether it is reality or bluster, Ahmad says that he has been pledged more than 30 votes, which would comfortably take him over the line.
His platform of administrative reform, financial transparency and a potential reorganisation of Caf competitions may be popular. But as the Malagasy freely admits what people say and what they actually do are often two very different things.
Yet should Ahmad shock many by winning, the roots of his success will be able to be traced back to February 2016 when the Fifa elections took place.
At that time, Caf publicly stated that it was supporting Fifa presidential candidate, and front-runner, Sheikh Salman of Bahrain and instructed all of Africa to do so as well.
So when Swiss-Italian Gianni Infantino was the surprise winner, it left Caf exposed.
Caf former presidents
Abdel Aziz Abdallah Salem (1957-1958)
Abdel Aziz Moustafa (1958-1968)
Abdel Halim Muhammad (1968-1972)
Yidnekatchew Tessema (1972-1987)
Abdel Halim Muhammad (1987-1988)
Issa Hayatou (1988-present)
"It's one of the arguments that pushed me to go for this election," Ahmad told me on Tuesday.
Insiders say the leadership of both Fifa and Caf have been pulling in different directions ever since.
This was perhaps best illustrated by Infantino attending a birthday party for Zimbabwe FA president Phillip Chiyangwa in Harare last month. An event which Caf had described, for various reasons, as an "attempt to destabilise" African football's ruling body.
Chiywangwa is the campaign manager for Ahmad, so furthering the belief of those who claim that Fifa also wants change.
What is also instructive is the paucity of African federation presidents who have been prepared to speak out publicly on Hayatou's behalf

Why Ahmad Ahmad?
Largely because the existing Caf rules state that only a member of the organisation's Executive Committee can run for the presidency. And only Ahmad, a politician back home after being both a football player and coach in his younger days, was prepared to put himself forward.
Standing in his way are not just 29 years of history but also the fact that Hayatou, a former athlete himself who once held national Cameroonian sprinting records, is a political survivor.

Haya pls go rest now

Hayatu needs to go n rest

seeking power till u die

Does it mean nobody in nigeria is fit to contest for CAF president?, but they r contestiing for FIFA president

jokers

I think hayatou should allow fresh blood in the saddle willingly instead of this defeat staring him in the face.

OYAY:
I think hayatou should allow fresh blood in the saddle willingly instead of this defeat staring him in the face.

Make him lala go back home to Cameroun

Make Jega no show face because we will not take it!