Abuja, Oct 1 (IANS): Amaju Pinnick emerged as the new chief of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after a keenly contested two-round election.

Pinnick garnered highest number of votes among seven other contestants who vied for the seat of the president of NFF, reports Xinhua.

He emerged as winner of the election with 25 votes in the first round and 32 votes in the second round of the election held in Warri area of southeast Delta State.

Taiwo Ogunjobi, former secretary general of the Nigerian football governing body, also contested the election. He emerged as a distant first runner-up, with nine votes.

The immediate past vice president of the NFF Mike Umeh had no vote in the election, while the former president Aminu Maigari ruled himself out of the contest.

Tuesday's election was held after Nigeria bowed to a rule by FIFA to hold two congresses as a way of quelling the internal crises that have recently ravaged the football governing body in the West African country.

For months now, FIFA's axe had been dangling on NFF over the protracted leadership tussle.