Obi claims NFF stopped him from meeting Flamingos

The Presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has accused officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of stopping him from greeting Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Monday.

Obi said he got to the airport around 7 a.m. to catch a flight to Enugu. He saw the team returning from Morocco after winning the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

In a post titled “A New Dimension of Toxic Politics in Nigeria”, the former Anambra State Governor shared that he asked his Protocol Officer, Jackie Wayas, to check if he could welcome the players.

But he claimed that he was told NFF officials had denied his request. They warned that if he approached the team, they could lose their jobs.

“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,” he said.

Obi described this incident as similar to what happened in Uyo on March 25, 2025, when he attended Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Zimbabwe.

He said he was welcomed by Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno at the VIP section of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. But after the match, he was stopped from greeting the Super Eagles.

He noted that while other officials could meet the players, he was told that officials could lose their jobs if he approached the team.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Victor Osimhen scoring first for Nigeria before Zimbabwe equalized late in the game.

Obi said these two incidents show a growing culture of political hostility in the country.

“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 country where political differences do not lead to hostility, intimidation, or discrimination. He added that national unity and respect should come before political affiliations.

“The new Nigeria we aspire to build must have no room for hostility, intimidation, or discrimination, regardless of political affiliation. It must be a Nigeria in which unity, mutual respect, and our shared humanity take precedence over political differences,” he said.

Flamingos’ historic triumph

This incident happened just a day after Obi congratulated the Flamingos on their historic win, calling their victory a source of national pride.

In a separate message on Sunday, he praised the players for their talent, hard work, and dedication, saying they had raised Nigeria’s flag high.

The Flamingos made history on Saturday by defeating Japan 2-1 in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco. This made them the first African nation to win the competition.

Awawu Bashiru scored first in the 39th minute, and Oluebube Umejiaku added another goal shortly after the break. Japan’s Fuki Ito pulled one back in the 80th minute, but Nigeria held on to win.

The victory completed a stunning campaign for the team. They bounced back from a 2-1 loss to Poland in their opening match, going on to win six straight matches.

Under coach Akeem Busari, the Flamingos also beat Puerto Rico and defending champions Korea DPR in the group stage. They overcame Mexico and Venezuela in the knockout rounds, securing their first-ever final appearance with a 3-1 win over Brazil in the semi-finals.

This win marked Nigeria’s first title in the competition and improved on the team’s previous best finish of third place in 2022. It also marked the first time an African team had won the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The team arrived at Abuja airport early on Monday, where supporters and officials welcomed them as champions.

At the time of filing this report, Obi’s claims had not been publicly addressed by the NFF. PREMIUM TIMES tried to reach Ademola Olajire, the NFF’s Acting Deputy General Secretary and Director of Communications, by phone but was unsuccessful. A WhatsApp message sent to him also did not get a reply.