Flamingos: Presidency, Obi Clash over access to players at Abuja airport

BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS

A controversy has erupted between the Presidency and the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, over allegations that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) prevented him from greeting the victorious Flamingos at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Obi’s Media Office alleged yesterday that NFF officials stopped the former Anambra State governor from welcoming the Nigeria Under-17 women’s national team following its return from Morocco, where it won the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The Presidency swiftly rejected Obi’s account, accusing him of attempting to politicise national sports, while the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, accused him of hypocrisy.

In a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Peter Obi Media Office (POMO), Idris Zekeri, the office said Obi was at the airport around 7am on his way to Enugu when he sighted the returning players.

According to the statement, Obi, delighted by the team’s achievement, instructed his protocol officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether he could approach the players to congratulate them.

However, NFF officials allegedly pleaded with him not to approach the team, claiming they could lose their jobs if he did so.

The statement said Obi respected their position but expressed disappointment over what he described as an increasing culture of political intolerance in the country.

Quoting Obi, the statement read: “This is the new dimension of toxic politics that Nigeria has developed since 2025.

“I arrived at the airport at 7am this morning (yesterday) to board my flight to Enugu. There, I saw the Nigeria Under-17 girls’ team, which had just arrived and was preparing to board its vehicle into town.

“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 should not approach them because, if I did, they would all lose their jobs.”

Obi further alleged that he had experienced a similar situation during Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in Uyo on March 25, 2025, when he was reportedly prevented from greeting players after a match.

He called for a Nigeria where political differences would not translate into hostility, intimidation or discrimination, stressing the need for national unity and mutual respect.

Presidency accuses Obi of politicising sports

Reacting, the Presidency, through the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, accused the opposition politician of attempting to turn a sporting achievement into a political controversy.

Olusegun said national teams, including the Flamingos, represented the entire country and not any political party or individual.

He explained that protocol arrangements for national teams were intended to protect young athletes from political exploitation, commercial distractions and unnecessary media attention while performing official duties.

Describing Obi’s account as an attempt to portray routine security and administrative procedures as political victimisation, the presidential aide said such a narrative undermined the unifying purpose of sports.

He also faulted Obi for allegedly relying on unverified information to construct a narrative of political persecution, urging him to allow the players to concentrate on their achievements.

Similarly, former presidential aide and National Director of Media Monitoring and Rapid Response of the City Boy Movement, Bashir Ahmad, disagreed with Obi’s description of the incident as evidence of growing political intolerance.

Ahmad argued that being denied access to greet the players did not automatically amount to political persecution, noting that security, protocol and administrative considerations might have informed the decision.

He urged the former Anambra governor to exercise restraint and prioritise facts, stressing that Nigeria was bigger than any individual or political party.

Keyamo accuses Obi of hypocrisy

Also reacting, Keyamo questioned Obi’s eagerness to associate with what he described as a success story of the country and the present administration, despite his frequent criticism of Nigeria.

In a post on his X account, the minister suggested that the NDC presidential candidate was more interested in securing publicity and photographs with the victorious players.

He wrote: “Mr Peter Obi, in all your public vituperations, you often say things akin to the fact that ‘Nigeria is finished’. So, why are you now so anxious to associate with a success story of the country or this government? Just for photo ops? You see the hypocrisy?”

The controversy followed the Flamingos’ 2-1 victory over Japan in Saturday’s final of the tournament in Morocco, making Nigeria the first African country to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The team returned to Nigeria with the historic trophy yesterday.