FIFA hopeful Bility won’t make way for rival’s

MONROVIA, Liberia: Musa Bility, one of seven men hoping to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president, insists his campaign is strong and that he has no intention of stepping aside, even for fellow African, Tokyo Sexwale.
Bility, the head of the Liberian football association, faces competition from Sexwale, Gianni Infantino, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Jerome Champagne, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Michel Platini for world football’s top job.
“I am optimistic about my chances of winning the FIFA presidency,” 48-year-old Bility told AFP in Monrovia.
“I do not see any scenario in which I would withdraw my candidacy in favour of whosoever.”
He rejected the suggestion that he should pull out and throw his support behind 62-year-old South African billionaire Sexwale.
“The second African candidate has nothing that I don’t have. He has not been a football official in his country, so I have no reason to back off for another candidate,” said the Liberian.
“The budget of my campaign will be around $5 million. I am sure of gathering that amount with the help and support of friends as well as all well-meaning Liberians.”
Edwin Snowe, who is spearheading Bility’s campaign, insists they have the support necessary to ensure a creditable performance in the run-up to the February 26 vote.
“We have already started lobbying and we have talked with 26 countries and more than 30 football officials,” said Snowe.
“We are going to work assiduously towards the victory of Musa Bility. We are optimistic that (former football star) George Weah who is an icon of world football will join us in this campaign.”
In August, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) refused to support Bility.
On Wednesday, CAF indicated they had “received and listened” to four candidates — Sheikh Salman, Prince Ali, Infantino and Sexwale — between October 25-28.