Presidency Replies Obi Over Flamingos Airport Incident

The Presidency has criticised opposition politicians over alleged attempts to involve politics in Nigeria’s national sports activities following a complaint by former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, that he was stopped from greeting members of the Flamingos at an airport.

Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, expressed the Presidency’s position in a post on X on Monday, describing the alleged politicisation of national sports teams and institutions as unacceptable.

Obi, who was the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, had claimed that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) prevented him from meeting the Under-17 women’s national team after their return from the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

Responding to the allegation, Olusegun maintained that national sports teams represent all Nigerians and should not be associated with any political party or individual. He said the rules guiding the activities of national teams were put in place to protect young athletes from political interference, commercial interests and unnecessary public attention while carrying out official duties.

The presidential aide also directly criticised Obi, urging him to stop relying on unconfirmed information to present himself as a victim of political actions. He called on the former governor to allow the young players to concentrate on representing the country without being drawn into political disagreements.

Obi had earlier explained that he arrived at the airport around 7am on Monday while preparing to travel to Enugu when he noticed the Flamingos returning from Morocco.

According to him, he instructed his protocol officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out if he could approach the players and congratulate them on their achievement. However, he was reportedly informed that NFF officials had objected to his visit.

The former governor further alleged that the officials warned that they could lose their jobs if they allowed him to greet the players.

Obi also recalled a similar experience on March 25, 2025, when he travelled to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to watch a World Cup qualifying match. He claimed that he was also prevented from greeting members of Nigeria’s national team after the game.

The former governor expressed concern over what he described as the growing level of political hostility in the country. He called for greater unity, peaceful relations and mutual respect among Nigerians, regardless of their political affiliations.

The Flamingos arrived in Abuja on Monday after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco.

The victory secured Nigeria’s first-ever title in the competition, marking a historic achievement for the country’s women’s youth football team.