Senate President Godswill Akpabio has described Nigeria’s historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup as an indication that President Bola Tinubu will secure re-election in 2027.
Speaking on Wednesday while receiving the Flamingos at the Senate wing of the National Assembly in Abuja, Mr Akpabio said the team’s victory ahead of the 2027 general elections signalled that Nigerians would vote massively for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and return Mr Tinubu for a second term.
He suggested that the timing of the Flamingos’ success carried political significance. “Perhaps, the prominence in choosing this hour for your triumph, just as we are about to go for the 2027 election, you brought this World Cup to us, which means that we have won the next election. It is the same way Nigerians are going to choose us in January 2027,” the Senate President said.
Mr Akpabio further argued that Mr Tinubu’s receipt of the trophy from the team was an indication that he would also emerge victorious in the 2027 presidential election.
“And for the president to be a president that receives this World Cup from you, it means he’s also going to receive a bigger trophy of his re-election into office as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, continue the good work and continue to make us proud. The transformative spirit is already touching every sector of our economy,” he said.
Electoral calendar and candidates
The 2027 presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027, according to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC has cleared 18 presidential candidates and their running mates to participate in the election, after political parties concluded their primaries and the commission published its final list of candidates on 12 September.
The candidates include Mr Tinubu of the APC; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress (ADC); former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC); and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Others are Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC); and Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for 6 February 2027.
How the Flamingos made history
Nigeria defeated Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco, to become the first African country to win the competition.
Awawu Bashiru opened the scoring in the 39th minute before Oluebube Umejiaku doubled Nigeria’s lead shortly after the restart. Japan’s Fuki Ito reduced the deficit in the 80th minute, but the Flamingos held on to secure the title.
The team lost its opening group-stage match 2-1 to Poland but recovered to win six consecutive matches and lift the trophy, becoming the first side in the competition’s history to lose its opening fixture and still win the tournament.
They defeated Puerto Rico 2-0 and defending champions Korea DPR 3-1 in the group stage before overcoming Mexico 2-1 in the round of 16. They subsequently edged Venezuela in the quarter-finals and defeated Brazil 3-1 in the semi-finals to reach their first-ever final.
The victory also made Nigeria the first African country to win both the men’s and women’s FIFA U-17 World Cup titles.
Senate rewards team with N100 million
On Tuesday, the Senate announced a donation of N100 million to the team in recognition of their historic achievement and to encourage the players. At Wednesday’s meeting, Mr Akpabio presented the cash donation to members of the team.
He urged the players to remain united and encouraged the technical crew, including the coaches, to sustain their training and development to prepare them for promotion to the senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons.
