The Presidency has faulted the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, over his claim that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) prevented him from greeting Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, on their arrival from Morocco.
Obi had alleged that he arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 7 a.m. on Monday to board a flight to Enugu when he saw the team, which had just returned after winning the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. He said he asked his Protocol Officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether he could greet the players, but was told NFF officials refused the request. c275
The Flamingos had defeated Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final in Rabat to win their first FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup title, becoming the first African country to win the competition. c275
Reacting in a statement on Monday, the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, described the constant attempt by the opposition to politicise national sports teams and institutions as highly distasteful. 7b0f
Olusegun said national athletes, including the Under-17 girls’ team, represent the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria, not any specific political party or individual ambition. He added that protocol guidelines around national teams are designed strictly to protect young athletes from political exploitation, commercial distractions, and unnecessary media circuses while on official duty. 7b0f
He said to spin standard security and administrative protocols into a narrative of political victimization is a disservice to the unity that sports are meant to foster in the country.
Olusegun urged Obi to reflect and stop weaponizing unverified hearsay to build a victim narrative, saying the athletes should be allowed to focus on winning for Nigeria, free from political theater.
