Issa Hayatou will take a step back from his role at CAF ©Getty Images

Acting FIFA President Issa Hayatou has opted to distance himself from his role as head of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) until the world governing body appoints it new leader.

The 69-year-old Cameroonian, also a member of the International Olympic Committee, assumed FIFA's top job when departing President Sepp Blatter was initially suspended in October.

His decision to scale back his work as CAF President, until after the FIFA Presidential election in Zurich on February 26, comes after criticism of a Memorandum of Understanding the African body signed with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein, the Jordanian candidate for the FIFA Presidency, said the deal appeared to be a "blatant attempt" to secure a bloc vote for one of his rivals in the race to succeed Blatter - the AFC President Shaikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa.

The Confederations have denied this is the case but Prince Ali has asked the FIFA Electoral Committee to investigate.

Hayatou, who signed the agreement with Shaikh Salman, will step away from the CAF to avoid accusations of a conflict of interest.

Prince Ali was critical of a partnership between the CAF and AFC
Prince Ali was critical of a partnership between the CAF and the AFC ©Getty Images

"The President, in agreement with the executive committee, just wants to exclusively wear his FIFA hat in handling the election for which the final phase will start on January 26 with the final list of candidates," said CAF spokesman Junior Binyam.

Various powers have now been passed to first vice president Suketu Patel and second deputy Almamy Kabele Camara.

"They will be in charge of relations between CAF, other Confederations, members and candidates for the FIFA Presidential elections until the conclusion of the FIFA electoral process," Binyam added.

It was claimed that the CAF-AFC agreement would see the two Confederations work closer together on the development of football, with initiatives in areas such as coaching, refereeing, youth football and women's football also promised.

However, Prince Ali said that African votes in the crucial FIFA election should not be "for sale". 

Hayatou has remained as temporary FIFA President after Blatter was banned for eight years for a "disloyal" payment he made to UEFA President Michel Platini, who received the same sanction.

He is not standing for the job on a permanent basis, with Tokyo Sexwale, Jérôme Champagne and Gianni Infantino also in contention alongside Prince Ali and Shaikh Salman. 

The Cameroonian took Blatter's role as he was the longest serving vice-president at the time.

In 2011 he was disciplined by the IOC due to an alleged role in a bribery scandal.