Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election, has accused officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of preventing him from greeting the victorious Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, at an airport.
Although Obi did not specify the airport where the incident occurred, reports indicate that the Flamingos returned to Nigeria in the early hours of Monday, November 9, through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The team arrived two days after winning the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
According to Obi, the officials refused to allow him to approach the players, stating that they feared losing their jobs if they permitted him to do so.
The former Anambra State governor disclosed the incident in a statement on Monday, November 9, describing it as another example of what he called the growing culture of toxic politics in Nigeria.
Obi said he arrived at the airport at about 7 a.m. to board a flight to Enugu when he saw the national Under-17 girls’ team preparing to leave the airport after their arrival.
“With genuine joy and enthusiasm, I asked my protocol officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether I could greet and welcome the team. I was informed that officials of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) had refused and had requested that I not approach them because, if I did, they would all lose their jobs,” Obi wrote.
The former governor said it was not the first time he had experienced such treatment at a sporting event.
He recalled that on March 25, 2025, he travelled to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for a World Cup qualifying match, where the governor received him at the VIP stand. However, Obi alleged that after the match, government officials prevented him from greeting the players, again claiming that those involved feared losing their jobs if they allowed him to do so.
“Regrettably, this is not the first time I have been subjected to such treatment. On March 25, 2025, I was in Uyo for the World Cup qualifier. The governor warmly received me and welcomed me at the VIP stand. Following the match, other government officials went to greet the players, but I was again prevented from doing so. I was told by the officials that they would lose their jobs if I proceeded,” he said.
Obi expressed concern over what he described as increasing political hostility and discrimination, arguing that political differences should not prevent public figures from interacting with national teams.
“It is deeply troubling to witness the extent of toxic politics into which our nation has descended since 2025. Each year appears to bring further deterioration,” he said.
He called for a Nigeria where unity, mutual respect and shared humanity take precedence over political affiliations.
The Flamingos began their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup campaign in Morocco with a 2-1 defeat to Poland. The team recovered from the setback, winning their subsequent matches to progress to the final.
They defeated Brazil 3-1 in the semi-finals to book a place in their first-ever final of the competition, before defeating Japan 2-1 to lift the trophy.
The victory made the Flamingos the first African team to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, marking a historic achievement for Nigerian and African women’s football.
