The Presidency and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, have disagreed over an incident involving Nigeria’s victorious Under-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, following claims that the former presidential candidate was prevented from congratulating the players at an airport.
The controversy followed Obi’s account of an encounter with officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), whom he alleged stopped him from approaching the young footballers after their return from Morocco, where they had secured victory at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
His account attracted a response from the Presidency, which accused the opposition politician of attempting to introduce partisan considerations into matters involving Nigeria’s national sporting teams.
Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, expressed the government’s displeasure in a statement published on his official X account on Monday.
He argued that national sporting achievements should not become subjects of political arguments, stressing that athletes representing Nigeria deserve to be treated as national assets rather than instruments for advancing individual or party interests.
Olusegun maintained that the Flamingos’ success belonged to the entire country, irrespective of political differences among its citizens.
According to him, the arrangements governing the activities of national teams are designed to protect players and ensure that their official engagements are conducted without unnecessary interference.
He explained that such procedures were particularly important for young athletes, who could become vulnerable to political exploitation, commercial interests and excessive public attention if proper boundaries were not maintained.
The presidential aide insisted that the presence of established protocols should not automatically be interpreted as an attempt to discriminate against individuals seeking to interact with national athletes.
He said attempts to portray administrative decisions involving sports teams as political victimisation could undermine the unity and collective national identity that sporting competitions are expected to encourage.
In his statement, Olusegun described the politicisation of national sports institutions as distasteful.
He said:
“The constant attempt by the opposition to politicise our national sports teams and institutions is highly distasteful.
“Our national athletes, including the Under-17 girls’ team, represent the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria, not any specific political party or individual ambition. 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.”
Presidential aide accuses Obi of creating victim narrative
Beyond defending the procedures surrounding the national team, Olusegun also directly criticised Obi over the way the former governor presented his experience at the airport.
He accused the NDC presidential candidate of relying on information that had not been independently verified to create an impression that he was deliberately subjected to political exclusion.
The presidential aide urged Obi to reconsider his approach to public controversies, arguing that the use of unconfirmed accounts could create unnecessary tension and distract attention from the achievements of the country’s athletes.
Olusegun further appealed for the Flamingos to be allowed to enjoy public recognition without becoming involved in political disagreements.
“Mr Peter Obi, I hope you will reflect on your manipulative way of life and stop weaponising unverified hearsay to build a victim narrative. Let our athletes focus on winning for Nigeria, free from political theatre. Thank you,” he added.
What Peter Obi said about the airport encounter
Obi had earlier narrated how he encountered the victorious footballers while making arrangements for a journey to Enugu on Monday morning.
According to the former Anambra governor, he arrived at the airport at approximately 7 am and noticed members of the Flamingos, who had just returned to Nigeria following their successful campaign in Morocco.
Their achievement reportedly prompted him to seek an opportunity to personally congratulate the players for their performance on the international stage.
Rather than approaching the team without prior arrangements, Obi said he instructed his protocol officer, Jackie Wayas, to make enquiries about whether he could meet the young footballers.
He explained that the intention was simply to exchange pleasantries and acknowledge their contribution to Nigeria’s sporting reputation.
However, Obi alleged that officials of the NFF subsequently objected to his proposed interaction with the players.
The former governor’s account suggested that the objection prevented him from carrying out his intention of congratulating the team.
The incident has since generated public discussion, particularly because of the political profile of the individual involved and the significance of the Flamingos’ international achievement.
Questions surrounding access to national athletes
The disagreement has also drawn attention to the relationship between public figures, sporting institutions and national teams during official engagements.
Although prominent politicians and other public personalities often express interest in celebrating Nigerian athletes, sporting federations also have responsibilities concerning players’ welfare, security and movement.
These considerations can become particularly important when dealing with young athletes returning from international competitions, where arrangements may already have been made for their reception, transportation and other official activities.
The Presidency’s response suggests that the government considers the enforcement of such procedures necessary, regardless of the political standing of anyone seeking access to the team.
On the other hand, Obi’s account has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the reported objection and whether there were additional explanations for the decision taken by the NFF officials.
However, the available accounts do not independently establish the precise reason behind the alleged restriction.
The disagreement comes against the backdrop of the Flamingos’ successful outing in Morocco, an achievement that has brought attention to Nigeria’s youth football development and the contributions of the players and their technical officials.
While the Presidency has called for national athletes to be kept away from political disagreements, the incident has demonstrated how even attempts to celebrate sporting accomplishments can generate controversy when prominent political figures become involved.
For now, the competing accounts from Obi and the presidential aide have placed the reported airport encounter at the centre of a wider debate about political differences, institutional procedures and the need to protect the national character of Nigerian sports.
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