The Presidency has criticised the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, following his allegation that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) prevented him from greeting members of the victorious Flamingos team.
Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, accused Obi of attempting to politicise Nigeria’s national sports teams and institutions.
Olusegun made the remarks in a statement shared on his social media account on Monday.
He maintained that national athletes represented the entire country and should not be associated with the political interests of any individual or party.
“Our national athletes, including the Under-17 girls’ team, represent the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria, not any specific political party or individual ambition,” he said.
The presidential aide explained that protocols guiding national teams were designed to protect young athletes from political exploitation, commercial distractions and unnecessary media attention while performing official duties.
He faulted Obi for presenting what he described as standard security and administrative procedures as political victimisation.
“To spin standard security and administrative protocols into a narrative of political victimisation is a disservice to the unity that sports are meant to foster in our country,” Olusegun said.
Addressing the former Anambra State governor directly, he urged him to stop relying on what he described as unverified information to create a narrative of victimisation.
“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,” he added.
Obi had earlier alleged that NFF officials stopped him from greeting the Flamingos at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Monday.
The NDC presidential candidate said he arrived at the airport around 7am to board a flight to Enugu when he noticed the players preparing to leave for town.
He explained that he asked his protocol officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether he could greet the team and congratulate them on their historic achievement.
However, he claimed he was informed that NFF officials had objected to the proposed meeting, allegedly warning that they would lose their jobs if they allowed him to approach the players.
Obi described the incident as another example of what he called toxic politics, expressing concern that political differences were affecting relationships among Nigerians.
He also recalled a similar experience in March 2025 when he allegedly encountered restrictions from officials while attempting to greet members of the national team in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The NFF had not publicly responded to Obi’s allegation as of the time of filing this report.
The controversy followed the Flamingos’ historic 2-1 victory over Japan in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The victory made Nigeria the first African country to win the competition.
