Former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has alleged that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) prevented him from approaching and congratulating Nigeria’s victorious Under-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, at the Abuja airport.
Obi said the incident occurred on Monday morning when he arrived at the airport to catch a flight to Enugu and encountered the team returning from Morocco after winning the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
In a statement titled “A New Dimension of Toxic Politics in Nigeria,” the former governor said he directed his Protocol Officer, Jackie Wayas, to seek permission for him to welcome the players, but was informed that NFF officials had objected to his approach.
Recounting the encounter, Obi said, “I was informed that officials of the Nigerian Football Federation had refused and had requested that I not approach.”
He described the development as another instance of what he considers the growing influence of political differences in the country’s public life.
Obi recalled a similar experience on March 25, 2025, during a World Cup qualifying match in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, when he was allegedly prevented from greeting Nigerian players after the game.
According to him, the state governor had welcomed him at the VIP stand before the match, but his attempt to interact with the players afterwards was reportedly blocked.
“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.
The NDC presidential candidate argued that the two incidents reflected what he described as an increasing tendency to allow political affiliations to influence interactions among Nigerians.
“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. This reflects how deeply Nigeria has been affected,” Obi stated.
He called for a society where political disagreements would not translate into hostility or discrimination, urging Nigerians to place national unity, mutual respect and shared humanity above political interests.
Meanwhile, the NFF had yet to publicly respond to Obi’s allegation as of the time of filing this report.
The Flamingos returned to Abuja on Monday following their historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, where they defeated Japan 2-1 in Saturday’s final.
The victory secured Nigeria’s first title in the competition and made the country the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
